This First Person article is the experience of Zack Hodge Takacs, a 16-year-old in Ottawa with a rare genetic condition. For more information about CBC’s First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

I don’t look like other teenagers because I have Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS). TCS is a rare genetic condition that can affect how your face is formed. It can cause ears, eyelids, cheekbones and jawbones not to develop normally.

For me, having TCS means my face looks different and I don’t communicate like other kids do.

Zack Hodge Takacs was born with a rare genetic condition that can affect how your