Heman Bekele, a ninth-grade student at W.T. Woodson High School in Annandale, Virginia, secured the title of America’s Top Young Scientist by formulating a cost-effective skin cancer-treating soap. He triumphed in the 2023 3M Young Scientists Challenge, facing off against nine other finalists, and was awarded the prestigious $25,000 grand prize.
As per the Mail Online report, Bekele crafted the cancer-combating soap by blending medicinal soap with three components known to reawaken dendritic cells, which play a vital role in triggering an immune response to combat cancer.
Bekele also discovered that the production cost for each bar amounts to a mere $0.50, a stark contrast to the over $40,000 required for current medical treatments.
In the upcoming five years, Bekele aspires to enhance this groundbreaking invention and establish a nonprofit entity aimed at delivering this cost-effective remedy to underserved communities.
‘Skin cancer is mostly found in people living in developing countries,’ Bekele told Fairfax County Public Schools.
‘But the average price for an operation is $40,000.
‘I was devastated by the idea of people choosing between treatment and putting food on the table for their families. There are so many preventable deaths.’
he young individual embarked on a journey of investigating skin cancer and delving into the realm of dendritic cells, which, according to him, aid in safeguarding the skin through the enhancement of the immune response.
