14-Year-Old Created a Soap That Might Treat Skin Cancer

Most of us at 14 were too busy worrying about Fortnite skins, school uniforms, or awkwardly trying to flirt over Snap. But not Heman Bekele.

Nah. Heman was out here inventing a bar of soap that could one day help treat actual skin cancer.

Yeah, you read that right. A soap. For skin cancer. Created by a teenager.

This lad just got crowned “America’s Top Young Scientist” and honestly, we’d vote him Prime Minister if we could.

From Ethiopia to Absolute Legend

Heman’s story starts in Ethiopia, where he was born before moving to the U.S. at just four years old. But he never forgot what he saw back home — people working outside all day under the blazing sun with no sunscreen, no protection, and no real understanding of how dangerous that UV exposure could be.

So instead of just thinking, “Well, that sucks,” like most of us would… he decided to do something about it.

Fast forward a few years, and this kid’s in his garage like a mini Heisenberg — but instead of cooking meth, he’s crafting cancer-fighting skincare bars.

And not for clout. For actual people.

So What’s the Deal With the Soap?

The soap’s full name? Skin Cancer Treating Soap — or SCTS if you’re into the whole brevity thing.

It’s not just your average Dove bar either. This bad boy is loaded with imiquimod (say that three times fast), a compound already used in real-world treatments for certain types of skin cancer.

But here’s the genius part: Heman found a way to pack it into nanoparticles so it doesn’t just rinse off — it sticks around and does its thing, directly on the skin.

Meaning? An affordable, non-invasive way for people in low-resource countries to treat early-stage skin cancers — without needing fancy hospitals or expensive meds.

And when we say affordable, we mean it. Each bar of Heman’s Skin Cancer Treating Soap costs

£0.38 GBP
$0.84 NZD
$0.78 AUD

$0.50 USD

to make. That’s less than a bag of chips. He’s not trying to get rich off this — his plan is to launch a nonprofit that gets the soap into the hands of people who actually need it, especially in parts of the world where proper healthcare isn’t even an option. No flashy packaging. No snake oil. Just real impact for real people.

He Entered a Science Comp. He Left With $25K and National Fame

Heman entered the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, which is basically like the scientific version of The X Factor — but with more lab coats and less crying on stage.

He beat out ten other genius teens from across the country and bagged a $25,000 prize. Casual.

And if that wasn’t enough, TIME Magazine went ahead and named him Kid of the Year last year. Not TikTok Star of the Year. Not Best Dressed. Kid. Of. The. Year.

Let that sink in.

He’s Not Done Yet, Either

While we’d probably be chilling for the rest of the year if we’d just won twenty-five grand, Heman’s out here planning a non-profit to get his soap into the hands of people who actually need it — especially in places where skin cancer goes undetected or untreated.

His goal? Launch by 2028.

FDA approval? Already thinking about it.

A full-on clinical rollout of a soap that can save lives? Literally on his to-do list.

We don’t even know what we’re having for dinner tonight and this lad’s planning global medical distribution.

He Still Goes to School, BTW

Just to make you feel a bit worse about your own productivity levels: yes, Heman still goes to school full-time.

He’s in marching band. Plays tennis. Does his homework.

And oh yeah — is actively researching skin cancer alongside actual scientists at Johns Hopkins. Casual Tuesday stuff.

Here’s What He Said About It

In interviews, Heman comes off humble as hell. No ego. No “I’m the next Elon.” Just a 14-year-old who wants to help people.

“When I was younger, I didn’t think much of it, but when I came to America, I realized what a big problem the sun and ultraviolet radiation is when you’re exposed to it for a long time.”

“It was definitely the best feeling I’ve ever had in my life. Not only did it make me feel so happy, but it made me feel motivated and inspired that my ideas can be heard.”

Imagine that. The maturity. The drive. The soap.

Wanna See Him in Action?

Watch Heman’s full story here (he’s honestly a legend):

Final Thoughts

We scroll through headlines every day about disasters, scandals, influencers crying in Teslas, and billionaires pretending to save the world.

But every once in a while, someone like Heman Bekele shows up — and reminds us that not all heroes wear capes. Some of them wear oversized school backpacks and casually invent soap that could treat cancer.

Think about it: while most teens are figuring out how to beat the final boss in Zelda or secretly watching Netflix during math class, Heman is literally out here saving lives before he’s even sat his driving test.

He’s not chasing fame. He’s not starting a skincare brand for clout. He’s just a kid who saw a gap — a massive one — in global healthcare and decided to do something smart, scalable, and powerful about it. And the kicker? He’s making it affordable. No fancy branding. No £80-per-bar wellness nonsense. Just impact.

His journey isn’t even close to finished. He’s got plans. FDA trials. A nonprofit to launch. And if we’re lucky, a whole generation of young inventors watching and thinking, “Hey, maybe I could do something like that too.”

If that doesn’t restore your faith in the next generation, we don’t know what will.

0 0 votes

Article Rating