THE VIEW
signs. I wore glasses then and I assumed I needed a new prescription so I booked an appointment with the optician. “They could see something in my eye and sent me to A&E.They looked at my eyes and said that the rods and cones, which are the eye’s light receptors, had been affected by the stroke. It didn’t stop there either as after doing more tests they saw there were lots of different diseases attacking my eyes and the core cells were dying. They predicted I would be completely blind by the time I was 40. “After a different diagnosis I was told that my peripheral vision should stay intact and then in 2013 I started noticing patches and that is when I had my driving licence taken off me. For the next four year things got progressively worse and then I woke up one morning with very, very little vision. I saw the optician that day who confirmed that all the cells had died and I was registered blind.” She then spent around five months applying for a new job even though it was during lockdown. “I applied for about 150 jobs and never got an interview. I always ticked the disability box as my sight was impaired and that had an impact on my application I think. “After I had applied for 251 jobs I hit rock bottom and was very anxious. When I was registered blind I was crossing the road one day and using my white cane. Some former colleagues happened to see me and it was then that it truly hit home. They encouraged me to post about my experiences on social media and that is how it all started. It is wonderful to get messages from other people in the blind community and I have connected with many of them. There are one in four people who are blind who are unable to get a job – it’s shocking.” Before Claire had lost the majority of her sight, she used to put a blindfold on and practice her make-up, cleaning and cooking and navigating the kitchen and her home so she was fully prepared for what life would be like in the future. She was by then a single parent and was terrified that social services would take her daughter away so she had to prove she could look after and take care of her. Claire is now an Accessibility Advocate and has a regular radio show on RNIB Connect which she loves. About once a month she also presents the live cooking segment on ITVs This Morning . “I have talking scales and jugs, and a few other gadgets, but otherwise I cook like everyone
"IT IS WONDERFUL TO GET MESSAGES FROM OTHER PEOPLE IN THE BLIND COMMUNITY AND I HAVE CONNECTED WITH MANY OF THEM. THERE ARE ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND WHO ARE UNABLE TO GET A JOB – IT’S SHOCKING"
we are looking to downsize. We will stay in Hertfordshire though and my daughter, who works in London is moving out and getting her own place.” I ask Claire what her plans for the future are and she says, ”I would love to do more presenting and I want to be a good role model as the amount of messages I get on social media is incredible. They tell me I have really helped as many people feel isolated and lonely so I want to be the person who can give them hope for a fulfilled life ahead. ”I do work but I am also an Ambassador for the RNIB and we work with Parliament and MPs to try to make changes for people who are blind. Sadly, they always come up with the same old line – no budget – but we will continue to shout about it and hopefully get things done. It is appalling that many blind people struggle to get employment and that really has to change.” Claire has some sound advice for first time buyers. ”There is so much pressure to get on the ladder but if you make a mistake and buy the wrong home it can be very costly. “I think it’s a great idea to rent in different areas before you settle on buying.You may like an area but until you experience living there you really don’t know. It’s such a huge amount of money to invest only to make a mistake. Take your time and don’t rush but if you are in a position to buy then I would suggest you do it as long as you are 100% sure it’s the home you love.” When we finish I feel like I have known Claire for a very long time. Her energy and spirit shine through loud and clear and it was a privilege to talk to her. Claire Sisk is a blind content creator and advocate – follow her @CanSeeCantSee_ Instagram: instagram.com/ canseecantsee_ TikTok: tiktok.com/@canseecantsee
else. It’s great fun and I love doing the shows.” She also work with brands to make things more accessible and is proud of what she has recently achieved at Wembley Stadium. “They had some disability access but absolutely nothing for blind people. It seems so unfair that we are deprived of what everyone else has. So last summer every concert held at Wembley was audio described. I worked closely with the sound technician and as I love live music it was like a dream come true. I am so proud and I received so many messages it was absolutely wonderful.” She regularly posts on Instagram, Facebook,TikTok and YouTube and focuses around what life is like as a blind person. She adds, “We support each other and share our tips and tricks. For example, I show everyone how you can do your make-up and cook as I want everyone who is going through sight loss to know it doesn’t stop you doing things.” Claire bought a house with her partner until they split up when her daughter was three. She then went on to buy her own home with her daughter and stayed there until she went to university. “It was hard when I thought about her leaving home as we have an incredible bond. But I had re-met someone who I used to work with at the airline and we became partners. He suggested we both sold our homes and bought one together. It was the perfect idea as I knew I would miss my daughter so much. “We are now married and live in the house we bought in Hertfordshire. It’s an old house which I think was originally two stables. It has four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms and is lovely but it’s so cold like many old houses can be! My daughter lives in the annexe in our garden so it works very well and my husband’s two children from his previous marriage pop in all the time. We have realised that the house is a little big for us now and so
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