The ‘Queen of Power Ballads’, Celine Dion, 55, revealed on December 8, 2022, that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome. For those who are unaware, it is a rare neurological condition that is said to be the cause of her spasms. The Canadian singer stated that she suffers from severe muscle spasms caused by this rare neurological disorder, which prevents her from even walking and singing. She already had to postpone a significant portion of her tour and cancel a few performances because of the diagnosis.
Recently, Claudette Dion—the Think Twice hitmaker’s lesser-known but no less amazing sister—has taken center stage, capturing our interest by giving us an update on the superstar’s valiant fight against SPS. Almost twelve months after the acclaimed singer first disclosed that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, her sister claims that Dion no longer has “control over her muscles”.
Celine Dion’s Stiff Person Syndrome: What is It?
Last year, in December, in an Instagram video, Celine Dion explained that her incapacity to walk and sing is caused by a rare neurological condition that has resulted in severe muscle spasms. She added:
“The spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to. I have to admit it’s been a struggle. All I know is singing, it’s what I’ve done all my life.”
She also stated that she was currently focusing on her health and was collaborating with “a great team of doctors”. Dion expressed her desire to perform once more in the future.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, one or two people out of every million suffer from stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition. The illness is most known for causing excruciating spasms and progressive muscle stiffness. The primary objective of treatment is pain relief.
The illness results in (via Johns Hopkins Medicine) “progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms” that can be brought on by environmental triggers like
“Sudden movement, cold temperature, or unexpected loud noises”.
Meanwhile, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, stiff person syndrome, or SPS, is an uncommon
“Neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease.”
Dion recorded five new songs, especially for the movie Love Again, which marked her big-screen debut. The soundtrack was released on May 12, 2023, and the first single, Love Again, debuted on April 13, 2023.
Is Céline Dion’s Health Condition Getting Better?
The legendary Canadian singer Celine Dion’s elder sister, Claudette Dion, recently claimed to 7 Jours that her sister no longer has “control over her muscles”. The singer may not be able to perform on stage for some time due to her battle with stiff person syndrome, a neurological condition, according to her sibling, 74.
Because of her progressive and incurable condition, which severely limits mobility, the body attacks its own nerve cells. Dion’s sister told 7 Jours:
“She doesn’t have control over her muscles. What breaks my heart is that she’s always been disciplined. She’s always worked hard. Our mother always told her, ‘You’re going to do it well, you’re going to do it properly’.”
She also pointed out:
“It’s true that in both our dreams and hers, the goal is to return to the stage. In what capacity? I don’t know.”
The rare neurological disorder caused Dio to postpone her Courage World Tour in May. The 55-year-old at the time posted on Instagram, captioning:
“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again.”
In the history of the Billboard 200, Dion is also the sixth-best-performing female soloist of all time. With album sales and live revenue totaling more than $747 million, she was named the highest-earning artist of the decade by the Los Angeles Times at the end of 2009.
