PALOMA Shemirani, who died after refusing treatment for a “treatable” cancer, was having “five coffee enemas a day” under her mum’s care, her brother has claimed.
The 23-year-old University of Cambridge graduate died at Royal Sussex County Hospital on July 24 last year of a fatal , months after declining treatment for .
Her mum, Kay “Kate” Shemirani, who rose to prominence on social media while sharing , was involved in her daughter’s “treatment programme”, the inquest into her death heard.
Paloma’s brother, Gabriel Shemirani, along with his other sibling Sebastian, blames their mum’s anti-medicine conspiracy theories for their sister’s death.
Forensic psychiatrist Ali Ajaz was present at Tuesday’s hearing in Maidstone, and was cross-examined by Gabriel.
Dr Ajaz spent seven sessions with Paloma on the recommendation of her mum, with whom he had a professional relationship, it was heard.
The doctor had appeared on Kay’s podcast as a medical expert three times, and she had referred multiple patients to him.
Kay was struck off as a nurse in 2021, and a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee found she had spread Covid-19 misinformation that “put the public at a significant risk of harm”, the inquest heard.
Previously, Dr Ajaz provided an assessment of Paloma during High proceedings which read: “I have no concerns that Ms Shemirani has been coerced or unduly influenced by any individual when making a decision about her own medical treatment.”
Gabriel asserted Dr Ajaz’s sessions with his sister were “coloured by my mother’s control”, which Dr Ajaz said was speculation.
Dr Ajaz added it was not his job to comment on the efficacy of her devised treatment programme.
“My sister was having enemas daily, would it worry you now if she had told you that?” asked Gabriel.
“I don’t know anything about coffee enemas,” said Dr Ajaz.
The inquest heard Paloma’s revolved largely around a strict diet and “lots of green juices”.
“Do you think my mum might have been scaring Paloma and making her think she was the only one who could save her?” asked Gabriel.
“I don’t know, you can speculate for sure,” said Dr Ajaz.
Arunodaya Mohan, a consultant haematologist at Maidstone Hospital, told the inquest previously that she met Paloma on December 22 2023 to set out the treatment plan after her diagnosis.
Dr Mohan told Paloma she had an 80 per cent chance of recovery if she had chemotherapy, but Paloma soon told the doctor that she hadn’t made her mind up about the treatment and wanted to explore other options, the inquest heard.
At the hearing on Tuesday, Dr Ajaz was shown an email exchange between himself and Paloma in which he described her concerns she had been treated against her will in hospital as “utterly shocking and sickening revelations”.
“How did that email get there? It certainly didn’t come from myself,” he asked.
In written statements submitted to the family division of the High Court in 2024, Paloma said she declined chemotherapy partly because of her “background in natural healing”, the inquest heard previously.
She also claimed her had been violated by NHS practitioners.
In the statements she wrote: “If I became ill, I’ve always turned to my mum first for advice as she is a trained nurse and qualified nutritionist.”
Kay, who attended the inquest via video link, was warned for a second day in a row her conduct during the hearing was “unacceptable”.
She was seen raising signs in front of the camera while on mute, along with trying to introduce new allegations during her questioning of Dr Ajaz.
Coroner Catherine Wood said she was “bordering on contempt of court”.
The inquest continues.
