Céline Dion Shares Health Update While Battling Stiff Person Syndrome: 'I Haven't Beat The Disease'
Céline Dion received a diagnosis of the uncommon autoimmune neurological condition in 2022.
The singer is refusing to allow her diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome to control her life. Speaking to 'Vogue France', Dion shared her journey living with the condition, emphasizing her determination to adapt despite the challenges.
"It's a lot of work," Dion, 56, expressed. "I'm taking it one day at a time."
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She continued, "I haven't beat the disease, as it's still within me and always will be. I hope that we'll find a miracle, a way to cure it with scientific research, but for now I have to learn to live with it. So that's me, now with Stiff Person Syndrome."
Five days a week, the Canadian songstress dedicates herself to rigorous athletic, physical, and vocal therapy sessions.
"I work on my toes, my knees, my calves, my fingers, my singing, my voice," Dion detailed. Reflecting on her journey, she acknowledged the necessity of accepting her condition and relinquishing self-doubt. "I have to learn to live with it now and stop questioning myself," she remarked, recalling her initial struggles with feelings of bewilderment and self-blame.
"Life doesn't give you any answers," she said. "You just have to live it! I have this illness for some unknown reason. The way I see it, I have two choices. Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it's over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself. 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."
In 2022, Dion received the diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare autoimmune neurological disorder characterized by muscle stiffness and painful spasms, for which no cure currently exists.
"People with this condition usually experience muscle stiffness in their trunk and abdomen (the middle part of their body). Over time, they also develop stiffness (rigidity) and spasms in their legs and other muscles," according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Dion's sister, Claudette, disclosed last year that she had experienced a loss of muscle control. Despite facing these challenges, the 5-time Grammy Award winner has maintained a low profile since her diagnosis. She expressed her determination to return to the stage in a social media post commemorating International Stiff Person Syndrome Awareness Day last month.
