Childhood idols, shifting from superheroes to public health heroes.

It is early Saturday morning: a day for heroes. Bogged down with various costumes, capes and action figures, young Nikoli bounds downstairs to catch reruns of Teen Titans He puts his newly acquired reading skills to work, studying comic books and recreating the adventures therein. Nikoli imagines himself as the hero in his comics, defeating villains and saving victims, imitating the poses and catchphrases in the mirror. Although children like Nikoli will never gain super strength or the ability to fly, the superheroes they emulate in play are examples of people they can aspire to be. They don't even have to be fictional heroes-if we widen the scope of children's superheroes to include those that address real-life issues, or even real-life heroes who have made breakthroughs in fields such as public health, the impact could be tremendous. Imagine a world where Superman is mentioned in the same breath as Ignaz Semmelweis, the man who revolutionized sanitation in health care by demonstrating that hand washing prevents the spread of infection. Children who idolize the champions of health care could someday grow up to be heroes themselves, fighting epidemics and saving lives through education, treatment and research. Their wildest fantasies could become a reality.