Mom Of 'Anti-Vaxxer' Accused Of Distracting Paramedics As They Tried To Save Daughter From Heart Attack

An inquest has revealed claims that a mother who was known for spreading conspiracy theories allegedly disrupted emergency medics while they were trying to save her daughter during a heart attack.

In December 2023, 23-year-old Paloma Shemirani, from East Sussex, UK, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma — a form of cancer that generally has an 80 percent survival rate when treated with chemotherapy.

Tragically, only seven months after receiving the diagnosis, Paloma passed away.

Investigators believe Paloma, who was described as an ‘anti-vaxxer,’ had chosen to pursue alternative treatments rather than conventional medical care. Her brothers, Gabriel and Sebastian Shemirani, say this decision was heavily influenced by their mother, Kate Shemirani.

Kate had been struck off as an NHS nurse in 2021 after being found guilty of promoting false information about COVID-19 and vaccinations.

After losing her nursing license, she became a vocal figure in conspiracy circles, making claims that the pandemic was a hoax, that COVID-19 vaccines were part of a plan to harm people, and labeling chemotherapy as both dangerous and toxic.

The young woman tragically died after suffering a cardiac arrest Paloma Shemirani/Facebook

During the inquest, it was heard that Kate allegedly caused interruptions for paramedics while they attempted to help her daughter in a critical moment.

Paloma collapsed at her mother’s home in July 2024. Paramedic Robin Bass told the inquest that Kate “presented a challenge” because she repeatedly interrupted the medical team as they tried to give urgent care, according to BBC News.

Bass said Kate initially mentioned a mass on Paloma’s chest. However, when he relayed to colleagues that it might be cancer-related, Kate reportedly denied that was the case.

The inquest also heard that Kate believed her daughter was choking on food. Despite medical intervention, Paloma later died in hospital from a heart attack that was ultimately linked to a tumor.

Doctor Peter Anderson, who treated her upon arrival at the hospital, confirmed that she appeared to have a large mass in her neck and chest. He explained that the tumor was pressing against her airways and blood vessels, which he believed most likely triggered her cardiac arrest.

Gabriel, her twin brother, questioned during the hearing whether their mother’s actions had made it harder for paramedics to do their job that night.

The inquest heard how the mom may have disrupted paramedics Hollie Adams/Getty Images

The paramedic responded: "I believe we had to be quite firm at some points… had to ask for quiet while administering care to your sister."

The coroner also revealed that Kate had called a friend instead of contacting emergency services immediately when Paloma collapsed.

Gabriel later asked another paramedic whether this delay in calling for an ambulance might have affected his sister’s chances of survival.

"It's difficult to say." Karen Clarke, a Secamb critical care paramedic, replied. "You always recommend someone calling 999 straight away."

Before her death, Paloma — who had graduated from the University of Cambridge — accused NHS staff of violating her human rights. She even compared their medical practices to those carried out by Nazis during the Second World War.

She also denied having cancer, dismissing doctors’ diagnosis as an “absurd fantasy, with no proof.”

Gabriel blames his mom for his sister's death HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images

"I do not want to undergo such a harsh treatment that could even kill me when there is a possibility this is not cancer." Instead of chemotherapy, she pursued alternative remedies such as a strict plant-based diet, fresh juices, supplements, and coffee enemas.

However, there is no scientific evidence that this controversial regime, known as Gerson therapy, can cure cancer.

Paloma’s brothers have raised concerns in a safeguarding report, suggesting that their mother’s influence may have played a role in her refusing life-saving treatment.

The siblings also shared that their upbringing was filled with their mother’s extreme beliefs, including claims that the British Royal Family are actually lizards, that the Sandy Hook school shooting was staged, and that the 9/11 attacks were an “inside job.”

Kate, however, has blamed the NHS and what she calls “medical interventions given without confirmed diagnosis or lawful consent” for her daughter’s death.