Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Celine Dion reveals incurable health condition as she postpones tour dates

Celine Dion reveals incurable health condition as she postpones tour dates

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.

It has also left her with difficulties walking and singing, she said, meaning she will be unable to play planned shows in the UK and Europe next year.

"I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time," said Dion.

"And it's been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I've been going through," the 54-year-old continued in an emotionally-charged video.

"Recently I've been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff person syndrome which affects something like one in a million people.

'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."

She added: "Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my 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."

In 2014, the diva - whose ballad My Heart Will Go On, from the Titanic soundtrack, won the Oscar for best song - 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'

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 cancelled.

On Thursday, Dion reassured her fans that she had "a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better" while her "precious children" were "supporting me and giving me help".

She explained: "I'm working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again, but I have 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.

"I always give 100 per cent when I do my show but my condition is not allowing me to give you 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 right now, and hoped she was on the "road to recovery".


What is Stiff Person Syndrome and is there a cure?

SPS is a very rare condition and not well understood.

According to the National Institute for Neurological Disorders, it is characterised by "fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms."

"Abnormal postures, often hunched over and stiffened, are characteristic of the disorder," they also note.

"People with SPS can be too disabled to walk or move, or they are afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a horn, can trigger spasms and falls.

"Most individuals with SPS have frequent falls and because they lack the normal defensive reflexes; injuries can be severe."

While there is no cure for SPS, there are treatments - including anti-anxiety medicines and muscle relaxants - that can slow down its progression.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Grok 4 Video plus Voice, can identify wildlife!
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
The UK Does Not Have a ‘Far-Right’ Problem
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
JD Vance Warns Europe Faces “Civilizational Suicide” Over Open Borders and Speech Limits
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
×