Celine Dion has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. The singer revealed that she has Stiff-Person syndrome in an emotional video.
“I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,” she said.
“Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff-person syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people.”
“While we are still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what has been causing all of the spasms I have been having. Unfortunately these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life. Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I am used to,” she continued.
Her diagnosis means that she will have to postpone her 2023 tour. “It hurts me to tell you today, this means I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February,” she shared with fans.
“I have to admit it’s been a struggle. All I know is singing. It’s what I have done all my life. It’s what I love to do the most,” she added. “I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you. Being on the stage. Performing for you. I always give 100% when I do my shows, but my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now. For me to reach you again, I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment and I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I am doing everything I can to recuperate.”
According to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease. SPS is characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms.
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Editorial credit: Tinseltown