Sisters Isra Naeala Taleb can’t feel pain, cold or heat

They are the young sisters who never cry because they cannot feel pain even with severe injuries due to a rare genetic disorder.

Isra Taleb, 18, and her 15-year-old sister Naeala were diagnosed with hereditary sensory neuropathy type 2 – meaning they cannot feel pain, cold or heat.

Due to the condition affecting less than one in a million people worldwide, they are unable to cry over their injuries because of their inability to feel pain.

And despite never feeling any sensations in their hands, forearms and knees to their toes, the siblings are fraught with danger if they injure themselves regardless.

The teenage sisters, from Victoria’s Coburg, suffer from severe fevers, swollen fingers and knees, redness and skin infections, which can take years to heal.

‘When these symptoms occur, that’s when we know something isn’t right,’ Isra told Daily Mail Australia.

Isra , 18, (right) and Naeala (left) were diagnosed with hereditary sensory neuropathy type 2

‘We would have to be rushed to hospital hoping it hasn’t reached the bone yet because it may lead to surgery including amputation.’

The first signs of the condition came to light when Isra was just three years old when she failed to cry after she accidentally sharpened her finger instead of a pencil.

‘My sharpening incident was the point my mum realised how completely out of the ordinary it was,’ Isra said.

‘She couldn’t understand why I wasn’t crying after I sharpened my finger instead the pencil.’

At the age of three, Isra was diagnosed with the condition after a wound under her big toe failed to heal.

‘When [doctors] saw the wound under my big toe, they said the wound looked like a 60-year-old male who would have diabetes,’ Isra said.

‘I got tested for diabetes but it was ruled out, then the neurosurgical team came on board and started some test to see what was going on with my nerves.

‘They were shocked with the results because they found my nerves weren’t reaching to my lower legs and lower hands – and so that stopped me from having any feelings through the lower parts of my body.’

Naeala (pictured with her mother Dounya Merhi) was forced to get her leg amputated at the age of 11 after it took more than two years trying to heal a wound on her limb. Growing up, she also had parts of her fingers amputated after she suffered infections

Tragically, her sister Naeala was forced to get her leg amputated at the age of 11 after it took more than two years trying to heal a wound on her limb.

‘Naeala is full of life and spirit so doesn’t let life get her down,’ Isra said.

‘But when Naeala lost her leg, that was an emotional time for the family. It took over two years trying to heal a wound on her leg through antibiotics and hospital visits.

‘It took it’s toll when her temperature turned up to 41 degrees one night and the infection had taken over and reached her bone.

‘She was getting worse and not improving so we had no option but to save her by getting her leg amputated, it wasn’t an easy decision.’

When Naeala – who is now confined to a wheelchair – was six months old, she partly lost her leg after she was diagnosed.

‘She’s had a hard life growing up. Naeala had more than 150 operations and countless amputations to her fingers but still comes out with a smile,’ Isra said.

As for Isra, she has been battling the same disorder for most of her life.

‘This condition has affected me in many ways, like I can’t stand for very long as my knees aren’t that strong,’ she said.

‘I can’t walk for long because it affects me from getting tired quickly, my left knee is very swollen due to not having any feelings and my bones are deteriorating causing me to get weak quickly.’

‘I can’t feel sensation hot or cold from my elbows and my knees down because my brain nerves don’t reach that part.’

The sisters, from Victoria, suffer from severe fevers, swollen fingers and knees, redness and skin infections, which could take years to heal (Isra right pictured with her mother)

And the sisters have endured countless injuries, including broken legs or burns.

‘I broke my leg when I was 13, and for normal patients the doctors would put them under anaesthetic for surgery in order to re-position the broken bone,’ Isra said.

‘They [doctors] let me stay fully awake – with my consent – while they re-positioned my tibia bone because I could not feel what they were doing to me.

‘If it was a normal patient they would’ve been screaming in pain.

‘Another incident with my sister Naeala – when we were having a BBQ and she grabbed a Heat Bead [charcoal briquettes] that fell out of the BBQ.

‘She just placed it back without saying a word but later realising the damage.’

And while the girls find it difficult to cry when they injure themselves, Isra admit she does get emotional.

‘Unfortunately we wouldn’t cry much about our injuries because of our inability to feel it [but] I definitely do get emotional,’ she said.

‘When I broke my leg, I couldn’t help but cry because I knew it was going to be a long journey before it was healed and I could walk again.

‘It took around a year, despite the healing process be only six to eight weeks for other patients.’

Isra explained she also struggles with picking up an object off the ground.

‘If a pencil is on the floor – it’s a weird feeling because I really want to pick up the pencil and my hands are trying to locate it,’ she said.

‘But I simply cannot feel the pencil in order to grip it – I need my eyes to help me.’

The sisters, from Victoria’s Coburg, suffer from severe fevers, swollen fingers and knees, redness and skin infections, which could take years to heal

She also praised their doting mother Dounya Merhi for being by her daughters’ side through their battle with the condition.

‘My mum’s my hero in all this she’s been an amazing mum, carer, friend, and has never stopped caring for me and my sister,’ Isra said.

By sharing their story, the sisters want to raise awareness of a little-known yet debilitating condition that has affected their lives.

Isra has started a GoFundMe page in an effort to raise money for a specially modified vehicle to accommodate her sister’s needs after their van broke down.

‘Getting our story out to the world will help my mother be able to afford a vehicle to help my sister’s needs as she is confined to an electrical wheelchair,’ Isra said.

‘Our old van that helped my mum and sister get around to hospital appointments and school, has been damaged.

‘We don’t have enough money to buy a new one or to repair it, so I asked my mum, lets make a GoFundMe and see if it can help.

‘So far, the community has been showing so much generosity and love. It’s definitely incredible seeing so many people care.’

Generous family, friends and strangers have so far raised more than $22,000.

To make a donation, please visit Fund for Naeala’s Van.