Mother Creates Natural Spray to Relieve Daughter’s Pain and Launches Business

An innovative solution to relieve the discomfort associated with diabetes management has emerged from a personal struggle. Shell Shaw developed a natural spray to help her daughter, Eleanor Shaw, an 8-year-old living with type 1 diabetes, alleviate the pain caused by adhesive medical devices. This venture has now transformed into a small business, with both local and international orders.

Eleanor faces the challenge of managing her condition with frequent sensor and pump site changes, which occur every ten days and three days, respectively. Each change involves removing medical adhesives that leave her skin sore, red, and often covered in sticky residue. “It hurts,” Eleanor stated, summarizing her experience.

Determined to find a solution, Shell turned to a Facebook group dedicated to type 1 diabetes. She sought advice on products that might ease the pain of adhesive removal. After trying a lemon-based cleaning product that was effective but irritating, she realized a new approach was necessary.

“I thought to myself, why don’t we create it?” Shell recalled. To validate her idea, she returned to the Facebook group and found overwhelming support; 98% of respondents expressed interest in a natural adhesive remover. Encouraged by this feedback, Shell began reaching out to industry professionals for assistance in developing the product.

One of those professionals was Stacey Fraser from Peerage Products Ltd, a Christchurch-based company specializing in cosmetics. “Stacey has been amazing,” Shell noted. “She loves products with purpose, and we clicked right away.” Together, they worked on perfecting the spray, which took several iterations before arriving at the final formulation that was gentle on skin, effective, and residue-free.

The resulting product, named Elshaw after Eleanor, contains natural ingredients such as witch hazel extract, totarol, coconut alkanes, and chamomile extract. “I just loved that it helped Ella. I really wanted not to see Ella in pain. Now she can remove the sensors by herself,” Shell explained.

The spray has found a wider audience, helping not only those with diabetes but also others, including a nurse in Australia using it in her wound clinic, women with hormone replacement therapy patches, the elderly with sensitive skin, and children using adhesive bandages.

MediRay New Zealand has placed an order for 50 bottles, marking a significant milestone for the business. “They were my very first customers, which was really exciting,” Shell said.

Despite her background in education rather than business, Shell has embraced the learning curve involved in launching a product. She received valuable support from Venture Taranaki, participating in startup programs that provided guidance. Additionally, she connected with Mentoring New Zealand to secure a business mentor.

With an initial order of 1,000 bottles of Elshaw, Shell is preparing for production. “The bottles are coming from China, and then Eleanor and I are going to fly down to Christchurch to watch it go into production,” she shared.

Elshaw is currently available for pre-order, priced at $29.90 for 60ml and $19.90 for 30ml, through the website elshaw.co.nz. This venture not only highlights the personal impact of a mother’s love but also opens a doorway for others seeking relief from similar challenges.