(CelebrityAccess) – Canadian vocal powerhouse Celine Dion announced today (December 8) she’s been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS) in a video posted to her social media account. In it, she describes her battle with the disease, which she said has caused severe and uncontrollable muscle spasms, forcing her to postpone her upcoming Spring 2023 tour.
“Unfortunately, these 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,” she shared.
She will not be able to resume her tour in Europe in February, the Spring 2023 dates will move to 2024, and all of the summer 2023 shows have been canceled. According to her official website, the shows scheduled from February 24 to April 11, 2023, will now move to March 6-April 22, 2024 and her summer 2023 shows set for May 31-July 17 have been canceled. The shows from August 26-October 4, 2023, remain active.
Dion said, “I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better.” She added that her “precious children” stand beside her and give her hope. “I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again. But I have to admit it’s been a struggle. All I know is singing. It’s what I’ve done all my life, and it’s what I love to do the most.”
Johns Hopkins Medicine describes SPS as a very rare condition that only affects about one or two million people. It goes on to say that SPS can cause a range of symptoms that can vary from person to person, including muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and heightened sensitivity to stimuli, which can set off muscle spasms.
You can take a look at Dion’s complete statement below.
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