Gabriel Shemirani Seeks Justice After Sister's Death, Blames Mother's Misinformation
Gabriel Shemirani is calling for accountability after the death of his twin sister, Paloma Shemirani, who died at age 23. He believes his mother, Kate Shemirani, a former nurse turned conspiracy theorist, influenced Paloma's decision to refuse conventional medical treatment for a tumour. The inquest into Paloma's death concluded that she was "adversely influenced" by her mother.
Inquest Findings and Brother's Grief
Paloma Shemirani died in July 2024 at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, following a heart attack caused by a tumour. The inquest determined that Kate Shemirani's influence "more than minimally" contributed to her daughter's death. Coroner Caroline Woods described Ms. Shemirani's care as "incomprehensible but not unlawful killing". Gabriel describes losing his sister as akin to "losing a hand," emphasizing the deep bond they shared as twins.
Mother's Anti-Chemo Views and Influence
Gabriel Shemirani alleges that his mother's views against chemotherapy influenced Paloma's decision. The inquest heard that Paloma refused chemotherapy, prompting a safeguarding report due to concerns about her mother's influence. Voice notes revealed plans to remove Paloma from the hospital before Christmas 2023. Kate Shemirani, who was previously struck off the nursing register for spreading misinformation, denied influencing her daughter's decision. However, she has maintained that medical staff were to blame for Paloma's death and previously likened chemotherapy to "mustard gas".
Reactions and Calls for Action
Following the inquest at Kent and Medway Coroner's Court in Maidstone, Caroline Woods stated that Paloma "would have chosen the chance to survive" if approached with an open mind and that chemotherapy "probably would have survived." She also described the behavior of Ms. Shemirani and Paloma's father, Dr. Faramarz Shemirani, as "reprehensible". Gabriel described the inquest findings as "a failure of the state".
Medical Professionals' Concerns
Dr. Tom Roques, a consultant clinical oncologist, described the situation as "pretty difficult" when patients refuse life-saving treatment. Dr. Liz O'Riordan, a breast cancer campaigner and retired breast surgeon, expressed disbelief that anyone with a medical background could believe alternative treatments are a sensible alternative to chemotherapy, calling it "disturbing and terrifying".
Seeking Justice and Preventing Future Tragedies
Looking ahead, Gabriel Shemirani hopes his sister's death will lead to a better understanding of the dangers of medical misinformation and improved legislation to combat it. He wants his mother to be "held to account" and hopes this case will prompt the government to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. He stated, "I want to get justice for my sister. I don't want her to be one in a long line of people who die this way. I want my mum to be held to account and I want that to make the government and the state realise that we need to stop something like this happening again."
