Celine Dion has revealed she has been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease.
The French Canadian singer told her 5.2m Instagram followers the condition makes her muscles spasm uncontrollably.
She said it has led to difficulties in walking and singing, meaning she will be unable to play planned shows in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe next year.
“I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time”.
Celine Dion
The 54-year-old continued, in an emotionally-charged video saying;
“Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome which affects something like one-in-a-million people. And it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms I’ve been having”.
Celine Dion
She added that unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of her daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when she walks and not allowing her to use her vocal chords to sing the way I’m used to.
“It hurts me to tell you today that this means I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February”.
Celine Dion
In 2014, the diva – whose ballad ‘My Heart Will Go On’, from the ‘Titanic’ soundtrack, won the Oscar for best song.
She said she was putting her career on hold “indefinitely” as her husband René Angélil battled cancer.
Although her performances resumed a year later, she stepped away from the stage again in early 2016, following the tragic deaths of both Angélil and her brother, Daniel Dion.
She eventually returned with the 2019 studio album Courage, which featured collaborations with Sia, Sam Smith, and David Guetta.
‘It’s been a struggle’ – Celine Dion
The star supported the record with a world tour, large portions of which had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic. She was forced to reschedule the dates again this year after developing “severe and persistent muscle spasms” which also delayed the return of her Las Vegas residency.
Several of those shows – including nights in Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, and London have now been pushed back again, while others have been canceled.
On Thursday, Dion reassured her fans that she had a great team of doctors working alongside her to help her get better while her precious children were supporting me and giving me help.
She explained that she is working hard with her sports medicine therapist every day to build back her strength and her ability to perform again, but she has 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.
“I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you and being on the stage, performing for you”.
Celine Dion
She continued to say that she always gives 100 percent when she does her show, but her condition is not allowing her to give that right now.
No longer holding back the tears, the singer signed off by thanking fans for their support, stressing that she had no choice but to focus on her health and hoped she was on the “road to recovery”.
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