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Cambridge Graduate Died After Refusing Chemo, Citing "Anti-Vax" Beliefs
28 Jul
Summary
- 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani died in 2024 after refusing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Paloma said she was "anti-vax" and turned to her mother, a nurse who shared COVID-19 conspiracy theories, for health advice
- Paloma described herself as a "staunch advocate for all proven natural healing" and used Gerson therapy instead of conventional treatment
In July 2024, 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani, a University of Cambridge graduate, died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital after refusing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. An inquest held at Oakwood House in Maidstone, Kent, revealed that Paloma had declined the conventional cancer treatment due to her "background in natural healing" and "anti-vax" beliefs.
Paloma's mother, Kay "Kate" Shemirani, had previously gained prominence on social media for sharing COVID-19 conspiracy theories. In written statements submitted to the High Court in Spring 2024, Paloma described herself as a "staunch advocate for all proven natural healing" and said she had always turned to her mother, a trained nurse and qualified nutritionist, for health advice.
The inquest also heard that Paloma had used the Gerson therapy, which involves a strict organic vegetarian diet and enemas, as an alternative cancer treatment on the advice of her mother's ex-fiancé, Doctor Patrick Villers. Paloma claimed she was "delighted" with this treatment and "sure" she would "make a full recovery" without chemotherapy, despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting the Gerson therapy as an effective cancer treatment.
