15-Year-Old Scientist Who Created A Soap That Could Treat Skin Cancer Named TIME’s 2024 Kid Of The Year – Essence

At just 15 years old, Heman Bekele has already achieved what many seasoned scientists only dream of creating a potential breakthrough in skin cancer treatment.

Bekele, a sophomore at W.T. Woodson High School in Virginia, was named TIME magazine’s 2024 Kid of the Year, an honor bestowed on him for creating a groundbreaking soap that could transform skin cancer.

TIME’s announcement on Thursday spotlighted Bekele as a young scientist with the potential to change lives. “It’s an incredible feeling, it’s surreal,” Bekele said. “To be honest, I haven’t even taken it in yet,” Bekele told TIME. 

Bekele’s invention of the soap, designed to deliver medication for treating skin cancers, including melanoma, holds the promise of a more accessible and affordable treatment option for many, instilling a sense of hope and optimism. 

The teen’s journey into science began much earlier, sparked by his childhood curiosity. Growing up in Ethiopia, he witnessed firsthand the toll that long hours under the harsh sun took on people’s skin—a reality that planted the seeds for his future innovation. “I saw so many people that were working really long hours under the hot sun,” he said. “What keeps me pushing forward is thinking back to the impact that I will be able to have on those groups of people      when I one day release that bar of soap.”

His love for science was evident from a young age. By the time he was five, Bekele was already experimenting with household chemicals, a clear sign of the passion and dedication that would lead to the groundbreaking work he’s doing now, inspiring the audience with his early interest in science.

This recognition by Time is not Bekele’s experience being celebrated for his groundbreaking work. In 2023, at just 14 years old, he was named America’s Top Young Scientist by 3M and Discovery Education, triumphing over nine other finalists in a highly competitive field. That victory brought him a $25,000 prize and set the stage for his latest honor.

In addition to being named Kid of the Year, Bekele has also been working on testing his soap  at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, collaborating with the Rebecca Lab   to evaluate its effectiveness on mice. This critical step brings him closer to achieving FDA certification, a milestone that would allow his soap to move from the lab to the hands of those who need it most.

As he prepares to begin his sophomore year in high school, Bekele continues to balance his academic responsibilities with his scientific endeavors. 

“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,” Bekele told Time. “That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”

For this young scientist, the journey is just beginning, but the impact of his work may be felt for generations to come