'She's in love with life': Celine Dion's sister shares update on how singer is coping with stiff person syndrome diagnosis
QUEBEC, CANADA: Celine Dion's sister has provided an update on the singer's health as she works to get better in Denver. The 'My Heart Will Go On' hitmaker confirmed in a social media post last year that she's suffering from stiff person syndrome, a very rare neurological disorder.
Dion explained how the debilitating condition caused severe muscle spasms that prevented her from carrying out day-to-day activities, let alone performing in packed concerts as she used to. Now, her older sister Claudette has offered the latest on the singer's condition as she hopes to make a comeback for her doting fans.
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"I am confident that life will give her back what she gave because she is an extremely intelligent woman, very generous and talented, and in love with life as well," Claudette told Le Journal de Montreal. "I truly believe in the power of love. I wish her the best of luck, that's for sure. She is surrounded by specialists as she works to recover."
Claudette said she couldn't envisage a future in which her younger sister wouldn't go back on stage. "I can't imagine it the same way. She is so in her place, so on her X," she said, adding, "Rather than crying over her fate, I try to send her positive vibes and ensure that one day she will go on stage."
What is Stiff Person Syndrome?
Stiff person syndrome is a very rare disease that affects fewer than five in 100,000 people. It is a neurological pathology that directly affects the nervous system and is characterized by rigidity and spasms in the trunk, arms, and legs. The condition causes greater sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms, according to NINDS. The side effects of the condition have caused the artist to cancel several shows including the possibility of never returning to the stage. MEAWW previously reported how well-wishers were worried about who is taking care of her since the 'I'm Alive' hitmaker relied on her late husband Rene Angelil for everything.
Vegas journalist Scott Roeben told Page Six about rumors that Dion "would not be returning to live to perform — maybe ever at all." Dion, who owes much of her estimated $470 million fortune to Vegas shows, addressed all the gossip on December 8, with an emotional video shared on her social media. The singer announced to her fans that her rising health issues have caused her to postpone or cancel her summer 2023 shows to 2024. Roeben said things are "serious" but insisted Dion does not "want people to be unnecessarily concerned."
'All I know is singing'
"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," Celine said in the video clip she shared on her social media. "Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people," she continued, further explaining that the side effects have been brutal.
Dion, 54, first postponed her new Las Vegas residency at Resorts World because of “severe” muscle spasms just a month before she was due to take to the stage in October 2021. The spree continued as she canceled her North American tour and postponed her European tour. The 'Power of Love' singer revealed that the condition has made it difficult to walk and has prevented her from singing the way she’s "used to." The decorated performer added, "All I know is singing. It’s what I’ve done all my life, and it’s what I love to do the most."