Céline Dion is opening up some more about living with stiff person syndrome. According to the 56-year-old Canadian singer, she had been experiencing symptoms of the condition for years before her diagnosis but had kept dismissing them.
In an interview with Vogue published on May 23, 2024, she recalled the first signs of the rare neurological disorder. In 2008, on her Taking Chances World Tour, she started experiencing some vocal changes. “Quite rapidly, I was having difficulty controlling my voice,” she recalled.
The singer went to an otolaryngologist and an ENT, but no abnormalities were found by either. “They looked at [my vocal cords] from every angle, and they said it was pristine,” she said. So she went on with life as normal.
Throughout her time doing a Las Vegas residency and then five other tours, Céline
noticed her muscles stiffening, to the point where she needed support while walking. But the discovery of her condition still didn't come until more than 10 years later, when the COVID pandemic hit.
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“When the pandemic arrived, I said to myself, the universe makes no mistakes, and I will take this time — this opportunity — to search,” she shared. During that time, she underwent additional testing to finally be diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a disorder that causes stiffness and spasms in the muscles. The condition has no cure.
“It probably sounds very strange to say this to you, but when I was diagnosed, I was happy," the singer expressed. "I was finally able to move with the wave, not against it." She has since been receiving treatment for her condition.
“I haven’t beat the disease, as it’s still within me and always will be,” she said in an interview with Vogue France in April. “Five days a week I undergo athletic, physical and vocal therapy. I work on my toes, my knees, my calves, my fingers, my singing, my voice.”
She initially questioned if she was at fault for her condition, but accepts that there's no way she'll know. “Life doesn’t give you any answers. You just have to live it!” she said.
“I’ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be," she added. "My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!”
A documentary that will let people into her home, I Am: Celine Dion, is set to stream on Prime Video on June 25, 2024. “This is the only place I have that I could suffer, cry, go crazy, be happy, sing, miss a beat — and right now, to be vulnerable,” she said. “I hope that the documentary doesn’t frighten people, but awakens people to SPS. It took 17 years for me — please don’t wait that long.”
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
