Interview with Jacob Ø. Wittorf, Denmark

Tell us a bit about yourself!

My name is Jacob, and I’m a new member of the OIFE-board and also member of the board of the Danish OI Organization, DFOI. I have OI type 3 and was born in a small town in southern Jutland, Denmark, 42 years ago. However, I have been living in Copenhagen for the last 18 years.

I consider myself relatively new to the OI community. As a small child, I attended a few OI meetings with my parents, but I haven’t really been part of the community until shortly before the pandemic. My relationship to OIFE began during lockdown when I participated in the OIFE Virus Workout sessions on Zoom.

During my teenage and young adult years, I was focused on appearing “normal,” hanging out with friends without disabilities, and I didn’t want to dwell too much on my disability. Looking back, I realize that I may have missed out on a lot by not being part of the community and meeting peers my own age who face similar issues.

What do you do when you’re not doing OI-work?
I work as a journalist for a Danish tech publication, where I cover the tech industry and how technology impacts business and society. When I’m not working or involved in OI-related activities, I enjoy attending football matches. I’m a proud season ticket holder of the Danish football team, Brøndby IF.

I also like going to museums, eating out, and one of my favourite activities is going on long rolls in my wheelchair. It’s great exercise, a fantastic stress reliever, and those trips make me feel most independent. Unfortunately, there are times when I roll longer and more frequently than my body appreciates. As I get older, I’m more cautious not to overdo it and try to mix it up with other types of exercise.

In your opinion, what is one of the most important jobs/tasks/areas for OIFE?
Knowledge sharing about medical treatment and research is, of course, crucial. But I also believe that OIFE can facilitate many important discussions about some of the more uncomfortable issues related to living with OI.