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Celine Dion performs in Paris on June 24, 2016. (Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images) |
Following the announcement that she has stiff-person syndrome, a rare and debilitating neurological ailment, Celine Dion postponed or canceled hundreds of her "Courage World Tour" performances.
"I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it's been incredibly difficult for me to face these obstacles and to talk about everything that I've gone through," 54-year-old Dion told fans in an emotional five-minute Instagram video posted on Thursday.
She added, "Recently, I was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a very uncommon neurological condition.
Even while we're still studying this uncommon ailment, we now know that it's the reason for all of the spasms I've been experiencing. Unfortunately, these spasms interfere with every area of my everyday life, sometimes making it difficult for me to walk and preventing me from singing as normally as I used to.
The singer stated that she "won't be ready to begin my tour in Europe in February" due to her illness.
A neurological and autoimmune condition known as a stiff-person syndrome, or SPS, causes muscles to stiffen over time and experience painful and incapacitating spasms. In more severe versions, it can make it impossible for people to walk or go about their daily activities.
According to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, loud noises or emotional turmoil can set off spasms, causing persons with SPS to fall and hurt themselves and making some of them "afraid to leave the house" (NINDS).
Although it cannot be cured, medicines can be used to control and lessen the symptoms. According to NINDS, SPS, which affects women more than men, has no known etiology.
Fans and other celebrities paid tribute to the Grammy-winning singer on social media and expressed optimism that she would soon be ready to resume performing. Over the course of Dion's more than 40-year career, many people have contributed concert videos.
A few years ago, Good Morning America host Robin Roberts wrote, "So enjoyed seeing @celinedion in concert." Celine is such a wonderful person and performer.
On Twitter, an admirer who referred to Dion as "One of our best singers and performers" said, "This is heartbreaking."
Dion expressed hope in her video that she will get better and be able to perform again. I have hope that I'm on the road to recovery, she continued, "but I have to admit: It's been a fight."
All of Dion's "Courage World Tour" concerts slated for May through July 2023 have been postponed, according to the website for the tour. Concerts originally planned for February through April 2023 have been moved to 2024.
All performances slated for August through October of 2019 "continue as scheduled," it stated.
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