Jo Milne
Author, Campaigner, Founder, International Speaker
Jo Milne is an internationally recognised disability rights campaigner, author and founder of the UK charity Cure Usher. Born profoundly deaf and later diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive sight loss, Jo has dedicated much of her life to advocating for people with sensory disabilities and challenging perceptions of what they can achieve.
Growing up in the 1970s, Jo faced considerable barriers in education and employment, but the encouragement of her family helped her develop the confidence to speak up for herself. At twenty-seven, she became Regional Director for Disability Rights UK, beginning a career in advocacy that would eventually take her onto the international stage.
In 2014, a video capturing the moment Jo heard sound through cochlear implants for the first time went viral, reaching more than fifty million people worldwide. The experience, alongside the publication of her memoir Breaking the Silence, gave her a global platform to raise awareness of Usher syndrome. She went on to establish Cure Usher, campaigning for greater research and improved support for those living with the condition. Her work has included helping establish the first All-Party Parliamentary Group for Usher syndrome and has earned her the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award.
Jo Milne
Author, Campaigner, Founder, International Speaker
Jo Milne is an internationally recognised disability rights campaigner, author and founder of the UK charity Cure Usher. Born profoundly deaf and later diagnosed with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes progressive sight loss, Jo has dedicated much of her life to advocating for people with sensory disabilities and challenging perceptions of what they can achieve.
Growing up in the 1970s, Jo faced considerable barriers in education and employment, but the encouragement of her family helped her develop the confidence to speak up for herself. At twenty-seven, she became Regional Director for Disability Rights UK, beginning a career in advocacy that would eventually take her onto the international stage.
In 2014, a video capturing the moment Jo heard sound through cochlear implants for the first time went viral, reaching more than fifty million people worldwide. The experience, alongside the publication of her memoir Breaking the Silence, gave her a global platform to raise awareness of Usher syndrome. She went on to establish Cure Usher, campaigning for greater research and improved support for those living with the condition. Her work has included helping establish the first All-Party Parliamentary Group for Usher syndrome and has earned her the Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award.
