Singer Celine Dion
Celine Dion, the Canadian iconic music figure, has disclosed some of the extra measure she had to go “to continue performing for her beloved and loyal fans” after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. The synopsis for a new documentary detailing her life describes the project as “intimate,” offering viewers an exploration of Celine’s past and present, wherein she candidly shares her struggle with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) and the extraordinary efforts she has undertaken to persist in her performances.
scheduled for release on Amazon Prime, the documentary serves as an “emotional, energetic, and poetic love letter to music,” capturing over a year of filming as the legendary singer confronts the challenges of living openly and authentically amid illness, as stated in a press release on Tuesday, January 30. Before publicly disclosing her diagnosis of a potentially debilitating disease in December 2022, Celine Dion had to postpone her Las Vegas residency in 2021 to prioritize her health, dedicating time to “learn how to live with and manage [her disease], but not to let it define me.”
Following the revelation of her diagnosis, she made the difficult decision to cancel all her world tour dates for 2023 and 2024. Addressing the impact of the rare condition in an Instagram video, she explained, “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.”
Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), described by the Cleveland Clinic as a rare autoimmune movement disorder affecting the central nervous system, manifests with initial muscle stiffening in the trunk, progressing to stiffness and rigidity in various muscles over time.
Reflecting on the past couple of years as a “challenge,” the “My Heart Will Go On” singer acknowledged the yearning for her performing career, expressing, “As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans.” She added, “During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.”