How Our Sister Lost Her Life to Cancer and Conspiracy
I'm speaking to you today not just as a brother in mourning, but as someone deeply concerned about the dangers of misinformation—particularly medical misinformation. My sister, Paloma, died at just 23. And the reason wasn’t the cancer itself—it was the refusal of treatment. A decision we believe was heavily influenced by our mother, Kate Shemirani, and her anti-medicine conspiracy beliefs.
Paloma was one of the most intelligent, kind, and promising people I’ve ever known. She graduated from Cambridge, had close friends, a supportive boyfriend, and a future full of hope. But when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma—an aggressive yet highly treatable form of cancer—everything changed. Doctors gave her an 80% chance of survival with chemotherapy. But after speaking with our mother and others promoting so-called “natural therapies,” she refused treatment.
Kate Shemirani, our mother, isn’t just a person with unconventional views—she is a prominent online figure who’s gained attention for promoting dangerous health conspiracies. She’s been struck off as a nurse for spreading misinformation about COVID-19, and now sells supplements and promotes alternative cancer therapies like Gerson therapy, which have no scientific backing and can even be harmful.
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Paloma had moments where she questioned our mother's beliefs. She started eating meat again, using fluoride toothpaste. But when she got sick, vulnerable and scared, she turned to our mother for support. And instead of getting medical care, she was urged to reject it. Our mum even sent messages warning Paloma not to consent to chemotherapy. At a time when she needed science, safety, and evidence-based care, she was surrounded by people telling her doctors were the enemy.
Paloma died of a heart attack caused by the tumour that grew inside her untreated. She spent her final months isolated, sick, and following a regime that included juices and coffee enemas, rather than the chemotherapy that could have saved her.
It’s horrifying to think that someone so young and full of life died not because of a lack of options—but because of the influence of online misinformation. And tragically, she’s not the only one. Medical conspiracy theories are becoming more mainstream, amplified by social media platforms and people with massive followings who face little accountability.
This is why we are speaking out. Not to create drama, not for attention—but to warn others. To show what can happen when misinformation is allowed to fester unchecked. My sister’s life could have been saved. And I live every day with that knowledge.
I couldn't stop Paloma from dying. But maybe, by telling her story, we can stop it from happening to someone else.
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