About Noel and How Noel's Numbing Cream Came To Be

Allow us to introduce you to Noel, the inspiration for our medication and an inspiration to so many around the world who knew him. Noel Gelfund was an incredible young man who had a profound influence on many people through his perseverance in nineteen years of dealing with the symptoms of Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a rare congenital vascular birth defect that is a port wine stain condition. Port wine stain birthmarks are the red birthmarks you see people to have, and can appear on any part of the body. The birthmark is actually malformed blood vessels and capillaries. The mal-formed blood vessels can cause a variety of secondary conditions.

Sturge-Weber Syndrome is a secondary condition when the birthmark is present on the head. It causes blood vessels to form improperly in and on the brain. The result is improper blood flow to the brain, resulting in being prone for strokes and seizures. An SWS seizure is different than epilepsy, as the brain "learns" to have a seizure and they progressively get worse. They are debilitating, as a SWS seizure causes brain damage in the parts of the brain effected because of oxygen and glucose deprivation during the seizure. If the port wine stain includes the eyes, it can cause secondary irretractable glaucoma which can lead to complete blindness. Additionally, because of the additional and irregular blood flow, the port wine stain body tissue can grow disproportionately, bleed, or die; causing significant problems. A port wine stain located anywhere on the body can cause life long problems, but SWS can be life threatening and debilitating.

Noel was born with bi-lateral Sturge-Weber Syndrome (both side brain involvement) and glaucoma in both eyes. At birth, he required emergency surgery to relieve the pressure in both eyes to prevent blindness. Noel began having seizures when he was only nine months old. Over his life, he had three debilitating strokes; his first one at 2 1/2 years of age, the second one struck him when he was five years old, the last one attacking Noel when he was seventeen years old. The stroke which attacked Noel when he was five was massive, and he was not expected to survive. Yet survive he did, and overcame the paralysis associated with the stroke. Doctors believed the stroke also destroyed the part of the brain that was causing the seizures, as he remained seizure free for thirteen years. His stroke in 2002, at the age of 17, triggered a series of small seizures, but the seizures were overcome with medication.

As a member of the International Sturge-Weber Foundation, Noel was an inspirational ambassador to those around the world due to the hurdles he overcame. He never should have ridden a bicycle, learned to read, graduated from high school, let alone be accepted to college. Along with these accomplishments, Noel was always the first in line to sign up for SWS research, including PET Scan research, Susceptibility Weighted Imaging Scan testing, and development and headach research.

Tragically, Noel was killed in a car accident December 5, 2004, one week after he started college. In his death, as he had wished, he donated his brain and a significant harvest of Port Wine Stain birthmark tissue to the Maryland Brain and Tissue Bank, dedicated to the research of Port Wine Stain conditions and Sturge-Weber Syndrome. His legacy continues in putting the needs of others in front of his own in helping find answers to improve the lives of those with port wine conditions and SWS in the future.

In his life, Noel wished to help others with the same conditions. In his death, he will continue to help others through "Noel's Numbing Creams". Additionally, the donations raised from the sale of "Noel's Numbing Creams" will be designated to continue the research which is so desperately needed to find the answers to help those in the future.

Disclaimer

The use of Noel's Numbing Creams should only be done under the supervision of the licensed prescriber. We recommend that the creams only be applied in the doctor's office under supervision. Care should be taken to use the smallest amount of Noel's Numbing Creams to reach therapeutic effect.

Safety and efficacy of tetracaine have not been established for children less than 12 years of age. Benzocaine should not be used with children less than 12 years of age.

Physicians may request our Original Formula or create their own formulation that they wish to be dispensed to their patients.

About Noel

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