The 'My Heart Will Go On' hitmaker, 54, has to adjust her 2023 tour dates as she reveals her battle with an incurable and extremely rare autoimmune movement disorder.
- Dec 8, 2022
AceShowbiz - Celine Dion has put her world tour on hold after being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer announces she is battling SPS - an incurable and extremely rare autoimmune movement disorder impacting the central nervous system in the brain and spinal cord - and so she is delaying and cancelling shows scheduled for 2023.
"Celine Dion reschedules Spring 2023 shows to 2024, and cancels eight of her summer 2023 shows," her team confirmed in an Instagram post.
In the caption, Celine wrote, "I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it's been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I've been going through…It hurts me to tell you that I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February."
She has also shared a video addressing the situation in more detail, noting the disorder affects around "one in a million people."
She explained, "Recently I've been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called 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 that I've been having."
She admitted the spasms are affecting "every aspect" of her life, including "sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I'm used to." She continued, "I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better and my precious children who are supporting me and giving me help."
She has been "working hard" with a sports medicine therapist in a bid to build up her strength, although the situation as "been a struggle." She said, "All I know is singing it's what I've done all my life and its what I love to do the most."
"I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you being on the stage performing for you. I always give 100% when I do my show but my condition is now allowing me to give you that right now. For me to reach you again I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment and I have hope that I'm on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I'm doing everything I can to recuperate."
