Celine Dion’s health has declined a bit since revealing in December 2022 that she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes stiffness and repeated muscle spasms. Dion’s sister Claudette Dion spoke to Canada’s 7 Jours, as reported per Daily Mail, noting the Canadian-born singer “doesn’t have control over her muscles.” She added of Dion: “She’s working hard. What breaks my heart is that she’s 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.’”
But Dion is dedicated to returning to performing, which she said would be put on hold amid her diagnosis. Claudette isn’t sure. “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,” Claudette said.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Dion broke the news last year in an Instagram video announcement. “I wasn’t ready to say anything before, but I’m ready now,” she noted. “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. Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life,” she added, noting that trouble occurs with her ability to walk and sing. As a result, she had to postpone her European tour at the time.
Dion, 55, has experienced a rough few years. Her longtime husband, René Angélil, died in 2016 from cancer. He was 73. He and Dion wed in 1994 and share three sons.
According to the National Organization for Rare Diseases, stiff-person syndrome is a rare acquired neurological disorder that most typically impacts the muscles, causing stiffness (rigidity) and repeated painful muscle spasms. Flare-ups can fluctuate. Spasms can be random or triggered by different elements, including sudden noise, light physical contact, or exposure to cold. The severity and progression vary from patient to patient, but if left untreated, it can progress to cause difficulty walking and impair a person’s daily physical activity.
