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| Mum's anti-chemotherapy views influenced Paloma Shemirani's death | Mum's anti-chemotherapy views influenced Paloma Shemirani's death |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Paloma Shemirani, 23, died after refusing chemotherapy following a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma | Paloma Shemirani, 23, died after refusing chemotherapy following a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma |
| A high-profile conspiracy theorist influenced her daughter to reject chemotherapy in favour of alternative treatments, which ultimately led to her death, a coroner has ruled. | A high-profile conspiracy theorist influenced her daughter to reject chemotherapy in favour of alternative treatments, which ultimately led to her death, a coroner has ruled. |
| Paloma Shemirani, from Uckfield in East Sussex, died in July last year - seven months after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. | Paloma Shemirani, from Uckfield in East Sussex, died in July last year - seven months after she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. |
| Ms Shemirani, 23, had declined chemotherapy in favour of juices and coffee enemas advocated for by her mother, Kate Shemirani, a former nurse who was struck off for her anti-vaccination views. | Ms Shemirani, 23, had declined chemotherapy in favour of juices and coffee enemas advocated for by her mother, Kate Shemirani, a former nurse who was struck off for her anti-vaccination views. |
| Coroner Catherine Wood said at Kent and Medway Coroners Court on Thursday: "The influence that was brought to bear on Paloma... did contribute more than minimally to her death." | Coroner Catherine Wood said at Kent and Medway Coroners Court on Thursday: "The influence that was brought to bear on Paloma... did contribute more than minimally to her death." |
| After her diagnosis in December 2023, Ms Shemirani went to live with her mother and began having five coffee enemas a day, according to her brothers. | After her diagnosis in December 2023, Ms Shemirani went to live with her mother and began having five coffee enemas a day, according to her brothers. |
| In July 2024, she collapsed at home and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where she died five days later. | In July 2024, she collapsed at home and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, where she died five days later. |
| An osteopath who saw Ms Shemirani on the morning she collapsed told the inquest he had "never seen" a lymphoid mass like hers in 43 years of practice. | An osteopath who saw Ms Shemirani on the morning she collapsed told the inquest he had "never seen" a lymphoid mass like hers in 43 years of practice. |
| Ms Wood said Ms Shemirani died from the progression of a disease which was curable but not treated. | Ms Wood said Ms Shemirani died from the progression of a disease which was curable but not treated. |
| Kate Shemirani blamed medical staff for her daughter's death | Kate Shemirani blamed medical staff for her daughter's death |
| She added that treatment would have given Ms Shemirani an 80% chance of a complete cure. | She added that treatment would have given Ms Shemirani an 80% chance of a complete cure. |
| The Cambridge graduate had initially consented to treatment, the coroner said, adding that "doubts about consent only surfaced after Mrs Shemirani became involved". | The Cambridge graduate had initially consented to treatment, the coroner said, adding that "doubts about consent only surfaced after Mrs Shemirani became involved". |
| The coroner said Ms Shemirani was being influenced by her own beliefs, her mother's, her father's and by those of a family friend - all who advocated the alternative treatment she used. | The coroner said Ms Shemirani was being influenced by her own beliefs, her mother's, her father's and by those of a family friend - all who advocated the alternative treatment she used. |
| "I found Mrs Shemirani's care of her daughter incomprehensible but not unlawful killing," Ms Wood said. | "I found Mrs Shemirani's care of her daughter incomprehensible but not unlawful killing," Ms Wood said. |
| "It seems that if Paloma had been supported and encouraged to accept her diagnosis and considered chemotherapy with an open mind she probably would have followed that course." | |
| Ms Shemirani's mother tried to blame medical staff for her daughter's death and has previously labelled chemotherapy as "mustard gas". | Ms Shemirani's mother tried to blame medical staff for her daughter's death and has previously labelled chemotherapy as "mustard gas". |
| Staff at Maidstone Hospital, where Ms Shemirani was diagnosed, the Royal Sussex County Hospital and paramedics all acted appropriately, the inquest found. | Staff at Maidstone Hospital, where Ms Shemirani was diagnosed, the Royal Sussex County Hospital and paramedics all acted appropriately, the inquest found. |
| Neither her mother or her father - non-medical doctor Faramarz Shemirani - attended the conclusion of the inquest. | Neither her mother or her father - non-medical doctor Faramarz Shemirani - attended the conclusion of the inquest. |
| Gabriel (left) and Sebastian Shemirani speaking to the media outside the court after the conclusion of the inquest into their sister's death | Gabriel (left) and Sebastian Shemirani speaking to the media outside the court after the conclusion of the inquest into their sister's death |
| Her brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani, did attend and said the state had "failed" by not classing their sister's death as an unlawful killing, despite recognising a breach in their mother's duty of care. | Her brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani, did attend and said the state had "failed" by not classing their sister's death as an unlawful killing, despite recognising a breach in their mother's duty of care. |
| Gabriel told the inquest: "I blame my mother entirely for my sister's death", adding she had been "obstructing" his sister from receiving treatment. | Gabriel told the inquest: "I blame my mother entirely for my sister's death", adding she had been "obstructing" his sister from receiving treatment. |
| The coroner noted the "striking" family dysfunction, which she said had been "on display very publicly" during the inquest. | The coroner noted the "striking" family dysfunction, which she said had been "on display very publicly" during the inquest. |
| "The dynamics within the immediate family were complicated and dysfunctional at the time of Paloma's death," she said. | "The dynamics within the immediate family were complicated and dysfunctional at the time of Paloma's death," she said. |
| Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. | Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. |