Céline Dion announced that she suffers from a serious and incurable neurological disease called “Stiff Person Syndrome”

The popular singer had to cancel all her shows. “I have been with health problems for a long time,” acknowledged the artist, who will not resume her concerts in 2023

The popular singer Céline Dion, author and performer of unforgettable musical hits, announced Thursday that she will cancel all her shows due to serious health problems that she has been facing for a long time. The Canadian artist announced in a video of her that she suffers from “Rigid Person Syndrome” (SPR), a rare neurodegenerative disease that will prevent her from continuing her concerts and tours.

In a video that she made public this Thursday, Dion -54 years old- revealed the reasons that led her to make the painful decision to end her presentations for the moment. Hi everyone, sorry it took me so long to get in touch with all of you. I miss you so much and can’t wait to get on stage and talk to you in person. As you know, I have always been an open book and before I was not ready to say anything, but now I am, ”the singer began her message.

“I have had health problems for a long time and it has been very difficult for me to face them and talk about everything that has happened to me. I have recently been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome, which affects 1 in a million people. Although we are still learning about this rare disease, we now know what has been causing all the spasms I’ve been having,” Dion revealed.

PRS causes the muscles of sufferers to tense uncontrollably and involuntarily. The disease ends up leaving those affected as “human statues”, since it progressively blocks the body in rigid postures that end up preventing them from walking or speaking, which could inevitably end the career of the Canadian, one of the most popular artists in the world. .

During the video, Dion pointed out that she has a great team of professionals surrounding her and trying to keep the disease from progressing as fast as it could be, even though her progression is inevitable. “I have a great team of doctors working by my side to help me get better and my precious children, who support me and help me,” said the singer.

“I am working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to get my strength back and my ability to perform again, but I have to admit it has been a struggle. The only thing I know is that singing is what I’ve done all my life and what I like to do the most. Miss them a lot. I miss seeing all of you on stage performing for you,” she stated.

first cancellations

Céline Dion had already canceled her “Courage” tour last January due to persistent health issues, though the reasons behind her suspensions were not fully disclosed at the time. “I had high hopes that I would be ready to go back on stage now, but I realize I have to be more patient,” the star lamented on her Twitter account later that month.

It wasn’t the first time Dion had canceled concerts. The first shows had to be postponed due to the pandemic, she had already suspended scheduled performances in Las Vegas, western United States, between November 2021 and February 2022.

On March 9, she was to resume her tour in Denver and until April 22, she was scheduled to perform in 15 other cities in the United States and also Canada.

These shows are now also canceled because the recovery of the health of the singer, who was known to suffer from “severe and persistent muscle spasms” that prevent her from performing on stage, “is taking longer than expected,” the firm said that represents it in a press release last January.

Now, Dion confirmed that these “severe and persistent muscle spasms” are the product of a neurological disease that affects one in a million patients worldwide: the incurable Stiff Person Syndrome.