RNIB Appoints Claire Sisk as Ambassador, Focuses on Global Accessibility

Claire Sisk, a TV presenter, online content creator, and disability advocate from Hertfordshire, has been named the newest celebrity ambassador for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). Sisk stated her ambition to “aim high” and “make the world accessible” in her new capacity. She expressed surprise at being offered the position, noting that she initially felt she didn’t “fit the mould” due to her self-perception as “dorky and outspoken,” but ultimately accepted with delight. Her goal is to offer “hope” to others experiencing sight loss, conveying the message that despite challenges, “it sucks, it’s going to be OK, you can still live a fun and fulfilled life.” Operating under the handle CanSeeCantSee across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, Claire has amassed hundreds of thousand of followers by sharing her personal journey with sight loss and related experiences online. Her vision impairment resulted from two strokes she suffered in 2009 at the age of 29, leaving her registered blind with under 4% vision. Sisk articulated her primary objective: “My main aim is to give others hope.” She believes the ambassador title amplifies her influence, stating, “When you have that title [ambassador] I feel like you have a bit more of a voice.” She elaborated on the impact of her role: “I’m on social media, so I have a platform, I have a voice, but when you start adding the fact that you’re a charity ambassador you’re going to be taken a little bit more seriously.” Her intention is to leverage her platform to engage with individuals facing comparable challenges, an opportunity she noted was absent for her 15 years prior. She remarked, “You’re not given a handbook, not that we can read it, to tell you how to be blind.” Despite this, her core message is “you can do this,” which inadvertently led to her creating online content. This began with a video of her crossing a road, initially shared with an individual experiencing sight loss, who then encouraged her to post it on social media to assist others. This initial post spurred the creation of additional content, aiming to “bust and and break down those misconceptions that are out there that.” Sisk emphasizes that individuals with sight loss can still use a phone, cross the road, and walk down the street. She concluded, “We just do it a little bit differently and there’s a bit more planning involved, but we can still live a life.” Vivienne Francis, the chief social change officer for the charity, commented, “We need to drive a new conversation around sight loss – and Claire has been at the forefront of this.” Francis further praised Sisk, stating, “Claire has an incredible way of engaging with people and raising awareness about the challenges blind and partially sighted people face by sharing her lived experience.”