Teen who created soap to treat skin cancer named Time’s Kid of the Year

[KARAH RUCKER]

FINALLY THIS MORNING – TIME MAGAZINE IS HONORING A SCIENTIST WHO CREATED A BAR OF SOAP THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM SKIN CANCER TREATMENT. DID WE MENTION HE DID THIS WHILE ALSO PARTICIPATING IN HIS SCHOOL’S MARCHING BAND?

[HEMAN BEKELE]

“MY NAME IS HEMAN BEKELE. I’M 15 YEARS OLD AND I LOVE SCIENCE, CREATING AND I RECENTLY MADE SKIN-CANCER TREATING SOAP.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

YES, THE 15-YEAR-OLD SCIENTIST FROM FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA IS TIME’S 2024 KID OF THE YEAR.

TIME PUTTING BEKELE ON ITS COVER – RECOGNIZING HIM FOR QUOTE “DEVELOPING AN AFFORDABLE COMPOUND-BASED BAR OF SOAP THAT COULD IN THE FUTURE BE A NEW AND MORE ACCESSIBLE WAY TO DELIVER MEDICATION TO TREAT SKIN CANCERS, INCLUDING MELANOMA.”

THE TEEN WAS ALREADY NAMED AMERICA’S TOP YOUNG SCIENTIST BY 3M AND DISCOVERY EDUCATION LAST YEAR FOR HIS INVENTION.

BEKELE TELLING TIME MAGAZINE HE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SKIN CANCER RESEARCH AND FINDS IT INCREDIBLE THAT ONE DAY HIS BAR OF SOAP WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIRECT IMPACT ON SOMEBODY ELSE’S LIFE.

[HEMAN BEKELE]

“I PERSONALLY HOPE ONE DAY THAT SKIN CANCER TREATING SOAP CAN TURN INTO A MORE NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHERE WE REALLY CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO PEOPLE THAT NEED IT THE MOST.”