Dreaming of a Cure

When Heman Bekele was 6, he got a chemistry set for Christmas. He used it to mix up “potions.” Back then, only his parents paid attention. Now, at 15, Heman is used to a lot more people watching his work.

In October 2023, 3M and Discovery Education named Heman the winner of their Young Scientist Challenge. His prize: $25,000. His accomplishment: inventing a soap that could one day treat and prevent some forms of skin cancer.

EYES ON THE PRIZE Fifteen-year-old Heman Bekele has been fascinated by chemistry since he was 4.

It could take years before the soap is available for purchase. But Heman, a 10th grader at Woodson High, in Fairfax, Virginia, is determined. Over the summer, he spent every weekday in a lab at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore, Maryland. When he goes back to school this fall, he’ll be at the lab less often (see “Beyond the Lab”). But he’ll keep striving to make his dream a reality.

“I’m really passionate about skin-cancer research,” he told TIME. “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 passion and the desire to help others have earned Heman the title of TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024.

Bright Idea

Heman was born in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, in Africa. He moved to the United States with his family when he was 4. He remembers seeing people in Africa working in the hot sun without protection for their skin. That made them vulnerable × vulnerable open to attack, harm, or damage (adjective) to skin cancer, a disease caused by too much exposure to the sun.

Heman’s parents explained the dangers of spending too much time outdoors without sunscreen or proper clothing. “I realized what a big problem the sun [is] when you’re exposed to it for a long time,” he says.

Skin-cancer treatments typically cost about $40,000. Heman wondered if there was a more affordable way for people to begin to treat the disease. He thought of adding a skin-cancer medicine called imiquimod to a bar of soap.

“What is one thing that is an internationally impactful idea, something that everyone can use?” Heman recalls thinking. “Everyone uses soap and water for cleaning. So soap would probably be the best option.”

Next Level

Heman needed help to bring his idea to life. In 2023, he came across the 3M challenge and submitted a video explaining what he had in mind. Soon, he received an invitation to the company’s headquarters, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He spoke in front of a panel of judges. That day, he was named the winner.

Since then, Heman has been working on developing his idea. Adult experts are guiding him. One is Deborah Isabelle, a mentor × mentor someone who shares knowledge (noun) from 3M. “I got really lucky,” she says. “Last year was my first year participating as a mentor in the Young Scientist Challenge, and I was paired with Heman. He’s an incredible, passionate, very inspiring young man.”

Heman encourages all kids to dream big. “Just keep inventing,” he says. “Keep thinking of new ways to improve our world.”

Beyond the Lab

Heman is serious about science and about pursuing his dreams as an inventor. But he’s also a regular teen, with hobbies and other interests. He’s part of the Woodson High School Marching Band, for which he plays both flute and trombone. He plays basketball. And he enjoys reading a good book, especially if it’s fantasy.

Playing chess is another thing Heman loves to do. He says he considers chess “a turn-my-brain-off-and-play kind of thing.”