‘My conspiracy theorist mother never told me my sister had died after refusing chemotherapy’

Read our Privacy noticeThe last time Gabriel Shemirani spoke to his mother was on the day he discovered his sister Paloma had died. “I found out through lawyers that my sister had died, so I phoned to ask whether it was true,” he told The Independent. The 23-year-old was advised by doctors at Maidstone Hospital to begin urgent chemotherapy, but her mother, a prominent anti-vaxx conspiracy theorist, would “adversely influence” her daughter to reject her treatment. It’s not your neighbour, your brother, you sister,” Gabriel said. Reflecting on his sister, Gabriel said: “We were incredibly close.