Heman Bekele, from Fairfax, Virginia, is being recognized for developing an affordable bar of soap that could make delivering medications for skin cancers, including melanoma, more accessible
Time magazine and Time for Kids has chosen its 2024 Kid of the Year — and it’s Heman Bekele, a teenager who could change the way skin cancer is treated.
Bekele, from Fairfax, Virginia, is being recognized for developing an affordable bar of soap that could make delivering medications for skin cancers, including melanoma, more accessible.
Melanoma is the most invasive type of skin cancer with the highest risk of death, according to Cleveland Clinic. However, it is highly curable, if caught early.
“It’s absolutely incredible to think that one day, my bar of soap will be able to make a direct impact on somebody else’s life,” the 15-year-old told Time. “That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
Bekele’s passion for science started at an early age. He conducted his first science experiment when he was just 4 years old, mixing together any household products he could get his hands on and seeing what would happen. He advanced to a chemistry set when he was 6. A few years ago, he decided to tackle skin cancer.
Some of Bekele’s earliest memories were of seeing laborers work under the searing heat with no heat protection in Ethiopia, where Bekele was born, according to Time. After emigrating to the U.S., the young scientist said he realized what a “big problem the sun and ultraviolet radiation is when you’re exposed to it for a long time.”
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York’s News Headlines newsletter.
Bekele realized a bar of soap could be an effective, accessible and cost-saving delivery system for the drug.
To turn this idea into reality, Bekele applied to — and won — 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge in 2023, securing $25,000 and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.” With the help of Johns Hopkins professor and molecular biologist Vito Rebecca, Bekele has been testing the soap on lab mice at the university’s lab for almost half a year.
“[His idea] immediately piqued my interest, because I thought, how cool, him wanting to make it accessible to the whole world,” Rebecca said to Time.
The soap still has a long way to go: Testing, patenting it and getting FDA certification could take a decade. But even then, Bekele will only be 25 years old. Most medical school students don’t graduate until they are 28.
Bekele is only going into his sophomore year at Woodson High School in Fairfax this year. Still, he is incredibly humble.
“Anybody could do what I did,” Bekele said. “I just came up with an idea. I worked towards that idea, and I was able to bring it to life.”
News
9-yeɑг-old vιctιм eмeгges ιп Dιddy s*x scɑпdɑl – dquɑп
Aпotheг 120 ρeoρle hɑve coмe foгwɑгd to ɑccuse Dιddy of sexuɑl ɑbuse oveг thгee decɑdes, ιпcludιпg ɑ vιctιм ɑs youпg ɑs пιпe yeɑгs old. 120 пew vιctιмs ɑccuse Dιddy…
120 People Accuse Diddy; Who is Bullying Young Actors? – dquan
Some notable news: 120 people simultaneously denounced ‘boss’ Diddy; Is Meritorious Artist Huu Chau oppressing young actors?; ‘When the sky meets the ocean, we are in the…
Sensitive clip of Diddy and famous star is suspected to be for sale – dquan
On October 2, attorney Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, who represents a victim of the “rap mogul”, attracted attention when he revealed that a sensitive video believed to be of…
SHOCKING NEWS Justin Bieber Has Been Having To Go To The Hospital For Regular Anal Treatment Since He Was 14 – dquan
Justin Bieber’s health journey has been a topic of intrigue and concern for many fans over the years. Since he was just 14, he has faced the…
Katt Williams CLAIMS Will Smith Has CRUCIAL Role In Diddy’s Trafficking | Will Smith Is SCARED – dquan
Smith married Sheree Zampino, though divorced the actress in 1995, only to marry Jada Pinkett two years later. Duane, on the other hand, dated ‘Martin’ actress Tisha…
Kanye Leaks How Kim Kardashians and Kris JRNNRT Slept With Diddy For $100M And Sold Their Souls. – dquan
Kanye West’s recent outburst has once again thrust the Kardashian family and other celebrities into the spotlight. West accused Kim Kardashian and her family of kidnapping his…
End of content
No more pages to load