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Brother of Cancer Patient Calls for Action Against Health Misinformation Following Sister’s Death
The brother of a young woman who died after refusing cancer treatment is warning that the UK faces a “wild west of health misinformation” with “no protections” for vulnerable people influenced by conspiracy theories.
Paloma Shemirani, a 23-year-old Cambridge graduate, died in July last year after declining conventional treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. According to an inquest held earlier this month, Paloma had an 80% chance of recovery had she undergone chemotherapy and “could and should” have survived.
Instead of medical treatment, Paloma followed an “alternative treatment” program directed by her mother, Kate “Kay” Shemirani, involving a strict diet, juices, and daily coffee enemas. The approach, known as Gerson therapy, has no scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness in treating cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
“I think we’re just living in this complete wild west of health misinformation. There are no protections whatsoever for people like my sister,” said Gabriel Shemirani, Paloma’s twin brother, who has been outspoken in his efforts to prevent similar tragedies.
Evidence revealed that Kay Shemirani, who was struck off as a nurse in 2021 for spreading “harmful misinformation” about COVID-19, had been offering similar alternative treatment programs to cancer patients for years before her daughter’s death. Documents shown to PA news agency include consultation forms from 2017 where patients with serious conditions, including acute leukemia, sought treatment from Kay Shemirani.
One consultation form, completed by a daughter on behalf of her mother with acute leukemia, stated an expectation “to be successfully healed from leukemia using the Gerson Therapy.” According to information in the emails, this woman had less than a year to live without conventional medical treatment.
The inquest into Paloma’s death concluded that her mother “did not meet” her duty of care, but stopped short of finding “unlawful killing.” Gabriel Shemirani described feeling “confused” by this ruling and argues it is “dangerous” because “nothing actually physically changed” as a result of the findings.
“I tried everything. I tried the High Court, I tried going to a coroner’s inquest, I went to the BBC and did the Panorama… and it still didn’t work,” Gabriel explained. “It got me 80% of the way there, but then nothing actually physically changed.”
Paloma’s older brother, Sebastian Shemirani, pointed to systemic issues in how authorities handle cases involving conspiracy beliefs and coercive control. “This existing framework that the authorities and safeguarding mechanisms have for understanding abuse doesn’t understand how coercion happens in the mind of the victim,” he said.
“It’s not the case that you wake up one day with free will and then you’re bullied into accepting something that you wouldn’t otherwise do, such as rejecting traditional cancer treatment. Rather, when you’re a victim of abuse, you learn to blame yourself for the abuse you’re suffering.”
The 1939 Cancer Act prohibits any advertisement offering to treat people for cancer or prescribe remedies for it. Despite this legislation, Kay Shemirani has continued to style herself online as “the natural nurse” while maintaining that she provides consultations rather than promoting her work as curative treatment.
Gabriel Shemirani has criticized both social services for their handling of his sister’s case while she was alive and police for being “useless” after her death. Sussex Police have stated that they “carefully reviewed” all information provided to them.
Now, Gabriel is considering further legal action, including a potential judicial review of the inquest to push for an “unlawful killing” finding or a future civil case. Without meaningful change, he fears his sister will become “one in a long line of people who die this way” due to health misinformation and inadequate protections for vulnerable individuals.
The case highlights growing concerns about the impact of health misinformation and conspiracy theories, particularly when they influence decisions about life-saving medical treatments.
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16 Comments
This is a tragic story. I hope the family’s call for action against health misinformation leads to real change and better protections for vulnerable people. No one should have to go through what Paloma’s family is experiencing.
Agreed. The lack of regulation around alternative therapies is clearly putting lives at risk. More transparency and oversight is needed to ensure people make informed decisions about their health.
This is a heartbreaking situation. Paloma’s family is right to sound the alarm on the devastating impact of health misinformation. Their advocacy for better protections and transparency around alternative therapies is crucial. I hope this leads to meaningful reforms to save lives.
You’re absolutely right. This case underscores the urgent need for action. Vulnerable people deserve access to reliable, evidence-based information and safeguards against unproven treatments that can put their lives at risk. Paloma’s story must spur real change.
This is a devastating situation. My condolences to Paloma’s family. Their call for action against health misinformation is understandable and justified. More must be done to ensure vulnerable people have access to reliable, evidence-based medical information.
Agreed, this highlights the urgent need for reform. Conspiracy theories and unproven treatments should not be allowed to put lives at risk. Robust regulations and public education campaigns are crucial to prevent similar tragedies.
This is a heartbreaking story. Paloma’s family is right to demand action against the rampant health misinformation that led to her tragic death. More must be done to ensure people have access to reliable, evidence-based medical information and protections against unproven treatments.
Absolutely. This case underscores the urgent need for reform. Vulnerable people should not be left unprotected against the harmful consequences of unchecked misinformation and unregulated therapies. I hope Paloma’s legacy leads to meaningful change.
It’s heartbreaking to hear about Paloma’s story. Her case highlights the dangerous consequences of unproven and unregulated treatments being promoted as cures. I hope this tragic loss leads to stronger measures to combat health misinformation.
You’re right, this is a wake-up call. Vulnerable people deserve better protections against misinformation that can cost them their lives. Tighter regulations and public awareness campaigns are clearly needed.
My heart goes out to Paloma’s family. This is a devastating loss that could have been prevented. Their call for action against health misinformation is entirely justified and I hope it leads to real change to protect vulnerable people.
You’re right, this tragedy highlights the critical need for tighter regulations and oversight when it comes to alternative therapies and medical claims. Vulnerable people deserve better safeguards against the spread of dangerous misinformation.
This is a tragic and cautionary tale. Paloma’s case demonstrates the real-world consequences of the spread of health misinformation. I hope her family’s advocacy leads to meaningful changes that protect vulnerable people from such dangerous falsehoods.
Absolutely. This is a wake-up call that cannot be ignored. Urgent action is needed to combat the proliferation of unsubstantiated medical claims and ensure people have access to reliable, science-based information.
Paloma’s story is truly devastating. My condolences to her family. Their call for action against health misinformation is completely justified and I hope it spurs real change to protect vulnerable people from the dangers of unproven treatments and conspiracy theories.
I agree. This tragedy highlights the critical need for tighter regulations and public education campaigns to combat the spread of dangerous medical falsehoods. No one should have to go through what Paloma’s family is experiencing.