Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old, wins the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” and receives a $25,000 award for inventing a soap that treats skin cancer.
According to Fox News, the idea of creating a skin cancer treatment soap came from Heman Bekele, a student at WT Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, inspired by memories from his home country of Ethiopia, where he witnessed people working long hours under the blazing sun.
Heman Bekele at the award ceremony and the final presentation of the “3M Young Scientist Challenge,” where he was awarded “America’s Top Young Scientist” – (Photo: 3M).
Through his research, Bekele discovered that skin cancer is predominantly found in individuals living in developing countries.
The young boy began studying skin cancer, particularly the dendritic cells that help the immune system attack cancer cells.
He experimented with various ingredients – including salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin – to create a soap that stimulates dendritic cells.
One of the biggest challenges was preventing the soap from breaking apart. Ultimately, Bekele used a blend of moisturizing cream, coconut oil, and organic shea butter to create a complete soap bar.
Bekele mentioned that this research process taught him the value of perseverance.
His soap costs only $0.50, compared to the average cost of a skin cancer treatment, which is $40,000.
Eric D. Whitman, the medical director of the Atlantic Health System Cancer Care in New Jersey, stated that Bekele’s invention has “created a topical immune activator that could help treat or prevent certain types of skin cancer.”
During his research, Bekele received support from teachers, researchers at the University of Virginia, and encouragement from his parents.
Bekele plans to use his prize money to apply for a patent for his soap and to save for college in the future.
