It is not every day that one comes across energizing news of a scientist who is aged 15. Not only that but also one who is breaking ground by seeking to tame and treat a disturbing disease like skin cancer.
15 year-old Heman Bekele — who grew up in Ethiopia, and now lives in Virginia, US– has been honoured by Time magazine for his pioneering work and research into skin cancer treatment.
At 4, he was already carrying out experiments at home, coming up with his concoctions, conducting his science. Was he not a scientist in the making at that point in time?
At 6, he received a chemistry set for Christmas. He took it upon himself to do something positive, especially after realizing the adverse effects of the blazing sun on the labourers and that the cost of skin cancer was beyond their reach.
Inspired by a drug called imiquimod that treats other types of skin cancer, he thought of a bar of soap as his project to explore and expand. Year 2023 saw him apply for 3M’s Young Scientist Challenge.
He was invited to pitch, and a young visionary, he pitched and impressed the judges as they crowned him the winner of $25,000. His targets are patients in the early stages of the disease. The envisaged merits of that treatment: affordability and accessibility. You go Kid of the Year!
His 3M mentor, Deborah Isabelle, describes him as “an incredible, passionate, very inspiring young man”.
Bekele visualizes a better world for all. Where are the innovators, visionaries,problem-solvers, doers and critical thinkers? Here is a young man on a mission.
Hence he says “We’ll never run out of ideas in this world. Just keep inventing. Keep thinking of new ways to improve our world and keep making it a better place”.
