Heman????? As in He-Man??? I don't know if he can be trusted, but if so good on dude!!
A 15-year-old boy from Annandale, Virginia, has been named Time Magazine’s 2024 Kid of the Year for his ground-breaking work in skin cancer treatment.
Heman Bekele, who hails from Ethiopia, is developing a soap that could revolutionise the way skin cancer is treated, according to an announcement by Time on Aug 15.
“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,” Heman told Time. “That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
Heman’s innovative soap has the potential to offer a more accessible and affordable method to deliver medication for treating skin cancers, including melanoma, as stated in the magazine’s news release.
The soap is still being tested and is not commercially available yet. According to NBC Washington, it could take a decade for the soap to receive certification from the US Food and Drug Administration.
The teen wonder’s journey began when he was just over seven years old. He would mix various household chemicals, including dish soap and laundry detergent, to create what he called his “potions”. He conducted these experiments at home, hiding the mixtures under his bed to observe any changes.
“They were just dish soap, laundry detergent and common household chemicals,” Heman recalled. “I would hide them under my bed and see what would happen if I left them overnight. There was a lot of mixing together at random.”
His innovative soap has garnered significant attention. In 2023, at the age of 14, he was named America’s Top Young Scientist by 3M and Discovery Education, beating nine other finallists. He also received a US$25,000 (S$33,000) cash prize for his work.
Heman’s 3M mentor Deborah Isabelle describes him as “kind, intelligent, focused, inspiring and energetic”, reported American broadcast organisation NPR.
Ms Isabelle, who is the chairwoman of 3M’s science training encouragement programme, said: “He’s going to continue to inspire other young people to realise that science can make a positive difference.”
The Kid of the Year award, which began in 2020, honours young individuals in the US making significant contributions to society.
The inaugural winner, Gitanjali Rao, then 15, was recognised for her work in tackling issues such as contaminated drinking water and cyber bullying. The following year, the award went to 11-year-old Orion Jean for his efforts in promoting kindness and literacy through his “Race to Kindness” campaign.
Heman’s recognition as the 2024 Kid of the Year underscores his potential to change the future of skin cancer treatment, Time wrote.
“I hope my work inspires other young scientists to pursue their ideas and make a difference,” he said.
www.straitstimes.com
A 15-year-old boy from Annandale, Virginia, has been named Time Magazine’s 2024 Kid of the Year for his ground-breaking work in skin cancer treatment.
Heman Bekele, who hails from Ethiopia, is developing a soap that could revolutionise the way skin cancer is treated, according to an announcement by Time on Aug 15.
“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,” Heman told Time. “That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
Heman’s innovative soap has the potential to offer a more accessible and affordable method to deliver medication for treating skin cancers, including melanoma, as stated in the magazine’s news release.
The soap is still being tested and is not commercially available yet. According to NBC Washington, it could take a decade for the soap to receive certification from the US Food and Drug Administration.
The teen wonder’s journey began when he was just over seven years old. He would mix various household chemicals, including dish soap and laundry detergent, to create what he called his “potions”. He conducted these experiments at home, hiding the mixtures under his bed to observe any changes.
“They were just dish soap, laundry detergent and common household chemicals,” Heman recalled. “I would hide them under my bed and see what would happen if I left them overnight. There was a lot of mixing together at random.”
His innovative soap has garnered significant attention. In 2023, at the age of 14, he was named America’s Top Young Scientist by 3M and Discovery Education, beating nine other finallists. He also received a US$25,000 (S$33,000) cash prize for his work.
Heman’s 3M mentor Deborah Isabelle describes him as “kind, intelligent, focused, inspiring and energetic”, reported American broadcast organisation NPR.
Ms Isabelle, who is the chairwoman of 3M’s science training encouragement programme, said: “He’s going to continue to inspire other young people to realise that science can make a positive difference.”
The Kid of the Year award, which began in 2020, honours young individuals in the US making significant contributions to society.
The inaugural winner, Gitanjali Rao, then 15, was recognised for her work in tackling issues such as contaminated drinking water and cyber bullying. The following year, the award went to 11-year-old Orion Jean for his efforts in promoting kindness and literacy through his “Race to Kindness” campaign.
Heman’s recognition as the 2024 Kid of the Year underscores his potential to change the future of skin cancer treatment, Time wrote.
“I hope my work inspires other young scientists to pursue their ideas and make a difference,” he said.
Ethiopia-born teen who developed soap to treat skin cancer named Time’s 2024 Kid of the Year
Heman Bekele started by experimenting at home and hiding the mixtures under his bed to observe changes. Read more at straitstimes.com.
