Celine Dion Has Lost Control Of Her Muscles Due To Stiff-Person Syndrome

By Emily Richardson | Celebrity | December 19, 2023 |

By Emily Richardson | Celebrity | December 19, 2023 |

A year ago, Céline Dion shared some sad news on social media: she’d been diagnosed with a rare neurological condition called Stiff Person Syndrome and was canceling some of her 2023 concerts. A few months later, she informed fans that her poor health had forced her to call off the entire tour.

Céline explained that Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) causes progressively worse muscle stiffness and repeated episodes of painful spasms. She wrote:

“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.”

So sad. Unfortunately, there is no cure. For the past year, 55-year-old Céline has been working with a team of doctors and physical therapists to get her strength back. But, according to her sister, Claudette Dion, Céline “doesn’t have control over her muscles.” In a recent interview with magazine 7 Jours, Claudette says:

“There are some who have lost hope because it is a disease that is not [very well] known,” she added. “What pains me is that she has 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.’”

Obviously, Céline wants to get back onstage. It’s what she was put on this Earth to do! Unfortunately, due to SDS, that may not happen:

“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,” Dion continued. “The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what comes to get me. Because [Dion’s condition is a] one out of a million case, the scientists haven’t done that much research because it didn’t affect that many people.”

How horrible. I like Céline well enough; she’s a Québécois treasure, she seems super sweet, and, obviously, her voice is beautiful. But I didn’t realize how dedicated her fanbase was until a few years ago, when I was chatting with a friend of a friend at a party. This woman told me she’d been to at least forty Céline Dion concerts since the mid-nineties. She went on and on about how kind and generous Céline was with her fans, how people fly from all over the world to see the same concert multiple nights in a row, how her music has “saved” them, etc. When I asked my new pal about how much money she thought she’d sunk into Céline, she waved me off: “Tens of thousands of dollars… but I don’t care. She makes me happy.” Hey. Fair.

Back in January, when Rolling Stone magazine excluded Céline from their list of 200 greatest singers, furious Céline devotees protested outside their offices. Listen, even if you’re not a fan of schmaltzy ballads, you gotta admit that Céline’s voice is amazing. Definitely better than #158, Carrie Underwood. Shame on you, Rolling Stone!

Hopefully, one day, Céline can return to the stage and bring happiness to the world once again. Now, let’s end this article with the most haunting Céline Dion song of all time: