TIME’S 2024 KID OF THE YEAR: Ethiopian teenager wins top honour for skin cancer breakthrough
In October 2023, Heman Bekele, a rising 10th-grader from Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, made history.
He was crowned the winner of the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a prestigious title that came with a $25,000 prize. He competed against nine other finalists, and his groundbreaking invention was a soap with the potential to treat and prevent multiple forms of skin cancer.
The 15-year-old scientist has now been recognised as the 2024 Kid of the Year by Time magazine and Time for Kids.
The teenager, born of Ethiopian parents in Ethiopia now US citizen from Fairfax, Virginia, USA, was chosen for his invention that is reputed to be a “more accessible way to deliver medication to treat skin cancers, including melanoma.
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He told CNN that he never expected to be so recognized. “I’m really passionate about skin-cancer research. Whether it’s my own research or what’s happening in the field. 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. That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
TIME magazine said Heman’s “ambition” and “selflessness” earned him the recognition. Even before his 7th birthday, Heman had already transformed his bedroom into a makeshift laboratory. For three years, he’d been mixing together whatever household chemicals he could find—dish soap, laundry detergent, the works—and observing the often-unpredictable results.
Born in Addis Ababa, Heman recalls watching laborers toil unprotected, their skin exposed to the relentless rays. His parents instilled in him and his siblings the importance of sun protection.
It wasn’t until his family moved to the United States that Heman fully grasped the magnitude of the problem. The prevalence of skin cancer in the US ignited a spark of curiosity within him. How could he make a difference? The answer came in the form of imiquimod, a drug with potential against multiple skin cancers. Inspired by the idea of accessible and affordable treatment, Heman envisioned a soap as a novel delivery system for this medication.
Skin cancer is an alarmingly common and costly disease with annual treatment costs reaching $8.1 billion in the US. Inspired by this urgent health crisis, Heman developed his innovative, affordable soap solution that could revolutionize skin cancer treatment.His extraordinary achievements have earned him widespread recognition, including the prestigious TIME Kid of the Year honour. His mentor, 3M engineer Deboarh Isabelle, praised his character and intellect.
“Heman is an exceptional young man with a compassionate heart. His invention has the potential to make a profound impact on countless lives.” He follows in the footsteps of Gitanjali Rao, another 3M Young Scientist Challenge winner who was named America’s Top Young Scientist in 2017.
Who is Heman Bekele?
Bekele’s LinkedIn bio reads, “Freshman attending Woodson High School. Self-taught programmer- fluent in Python, Lua, JavaScript, and C. Passionate about medicine, programming, and making an impact. Eager for opportunities in research and internships in STEM & computer science.”
“Skin cancer is mostly found in people living in developing countries,” Bekele told Fairfax County Public Schools. “But the average price for an operation is $40,000.”
He added, “I was devastated by the idea of people choosing between treatment and putting food on the table for their families. There are so many preventable deaths.”
Bekele went on to study skin cancer and learn about dendritic cells. The video he submitted for the competition explains that the three ingredients – salicylic acid, glycolic acid and tretinoin – are known to be keratolytic agents that break down the outer layers of the skin.
Bekele calls the product skin cancer-treating soap or SCTS. He says that following a prescription, the product can be applied to the skin every couple of days. Bekele has planned to put the prize money toward securing a patent and college.
‘Alongside my professional success, I hope to have a fulfilling personal life’
Bekele wishes to become an electrical engineer in the future. “I envision myself leading a team of professionals in the development of innovative electrical systems that will shape the future of technology,” he said. “Alongside my professional success, I hope to have a fulfilling personal life with a loving family and a strong network of friends.”
He added, “I also hope to have given back to my community by mentoring aspiring engineers and supporting initiatives that promote STEM education. Ultimately, in 15 years, I hope to have positively impacted the world through my work and personal endeavors.”
