Faces of Del Ray: Jacqueline Bourgeois

I walk into on Sunday afternoon where we are sitting down to chat. I go straight for the coffee, and Jacqueline Bourgeois pulls a bottle of flavored water out of the fridge.

“I don’t drink coffee,” she says brightly.

For someone who is focused on running five to six days a week training for a half-marathon, I can understand this admirable rule.

Running a half-marathon is a notable goal by any standard. But for Jacqueline, it is a matter of facing fears while putting her own safety on the line.

A 12-year resident of Alexandria and four-year resident of the Del Ray-Rosemont area, Jacqueline has lived with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI)—often known as brittle bones disease—since she was a baby.

Jacqueline has a moderate version of OI with 50 percent less collagen in her bones than a person without OI, which means her bones break easily, she can bruise at the touch and she can pull muscles more easily than those without OI.

We take a seat at a small table in the back of the crowded cafe and Jacqueline, undaunted and upbeat, immediately starts in on her experience with OI.

“People with OI are hesitant and fearful of physical activity because it could mean a broken bone,” says Jacqueline.

She’s confident and open about her disease. She has not only come to terms with this part of her life, but she embraces it.

As a child, Jacqueline remembers tripping on the sidewalk and breaking her knee. She’s been told by her parents that while she was learning to walk as a young baby, she plopped down on her bottom, as most babies do, and she broke her leg. She’s broken bones trying to tie a raincoat too swiftly, using too much force to push herself up from sitting on the ground, and from coughing. Jacqueline started two jobs on crutches and she gave birth to her second child with a broken leg.

In total, Jacqueline says she has suffered at least 20 broken bones.

“I’ve broken my legs, my nose, my feet, my arms. … No collarbone, but pretty much everything else,” Jacqueline says with a half-smile on her face. Her smile gives way to earnestness. “People with OI feel isolated. They often don’t want to leave the house, especially during times of recovery.”

But Jacqueline has refused to submit to a life of isolation.

In 2005, Jacqueline decided to make a lifestyle change. Rather than shying away from physical activity and exercise, she believed that her life could be enhanced by it. She started meeting with a trainer at on Mt. Vernon Avenue for strength training. She supplemented her training with regular pilates classes at nearby . Soon after, Jacqueline started running by what she says was a matter of convenience—it was easier to do with children in tow than going to the gym.

Now she’s determined to meet a goal that seems impossible to many people with OI—she will run the Washington, D.C. Rock 'n' Roll half-marathon in March.  

While Jacqueline’s goal is partly personal achievement, she is mostly eager to bring awareness to others about OI. She wants to show people with OI that they can have a life enhanced by physical activity, so she is running to raise funds for the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, having raised over $3,000 in pledges so far.

This fall, Jacqueline got two practice races under her belt—D.C.'s Veterans Day 10K and the —and she continues to train for the half-marathon.

Jacqueline does most of her running near her house, watching carefully for branches, leaves and other debris that could cause her to fall and potentially break a bone. It has become challenging in the winter months, with daylight being so short, so she supplements with cross training.

“This race is different—I'm not just running for a disease, I'm running with a disease,” says Jacqueline. “I’m conquering one of the hardest challenges I have faced as a person with OI.”

I ask Jacqueline about the support she has received from the Del Ray community. She is quick to give it praise. “People in this community are so open-minded. They are quick to cheer you on and support you.” She laughs a little bit. “I get a lot of support on my practice runs. I like hearing the 'beep, beep' from people who know what I’m working towards as they drive by and wave.”

What’s the one thing you want people to know about OI and your goal for the half marathon, I ask her.

Jacqueline thinks for a moment. “I’m not invincible,” she says, “but I can set a goal for myself.”

You can follow Jacqueline’s training progress and learn more about the Osteogensis Imperfecta Foundation on her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/unbreakablestride or by following her on Twitter at @unbreakstride