At just 17 years old, Kahron Garner carries himself with a level of confidence, professionalism, and purpose that many adults spend decades trying to develop.

Dressed in suits, conducting interviews with accomplished entrepreneurs, and building his own media brand, the Warren Central High School senior appears destined for success. What many people don’t see, however, is the difficult journey that shaped the young entrepreneur behind Kahron’s Korner.

Garner lives with PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that has forced him to overcome challenges most teenagers could hardly imagine. Throughout his life, he has endured tumors in his hip, hand, and neck. One surgery required doctors to remove half of a muscle in his leg, limiting his ability to participate in sports and leaving him constantly cautious about injury.

“It was a very hard path in the beginning,” Garner said. “I couldn’t play contact sports because the wrong hit could possibly hurt my leg forever.”

The condition also affected his concentration in school and, at times, his self-confidence. A visible scar on his neck left him self-conscious about his appearance, particularly as someone who spends much of his time in front of a camera.

Yet rather than allowing his diagnosis to define him, Garner transformed it into his purpose.

“Because of the rarity of my situation, there’s not many people willing to put their rare genetic disease on the forefront and build something for the future,” he said. “I wanted to raise awareness and help other people understand it.”