Everything You Need To Know About Celine Dion’s Stiff-Person Syndrome

Beloved French balladeer, Celine Dion, announced in an emotional video today that she's been diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome and will be unable to embark on her European tour in February.

Despite suffering from muscle spasms for years, Celine Dion continued to perform any chance she was given. Dion - widely known as “The Priestess of Pop” - performed over 808 concert shows and 1,141 residency shows from 1990-2020.

This rare neurological condition affects about one in a million people. Her diagnosis causes Dion to experience muscle spasms that affect her bodily functions as well as her vocal cords. Dion admits her diagnosis has made it so she cannot walk or sing like she used to, and is, therefore, unable to give her typical groundbreaking performances. And if you know anything about Celine Dion, it’s that she won’t give anything less than 100%.

Stiff-Person’s Syndrome’s symptoms include stiffening of the torso and limbs, long episodes of muscle spasms, and difficulty walking. The muscle spasms Dion experiences can be triggered by environmental factors such as loud noises or emotional stress.

“All I know is singing…it’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”

Dion herself and fans alike remain hopeful that she's on the road to recovery. And she's reassured everyone that she has a great team of doctors working with her. One thing that's abundantly clear: she's doing everything she can to get back on the road and do what she loves most.

Thanks to Celine, we have the emblematic Titanic anthem, “My Heart Will Go On” and countless other ballads. We're hoping for her recovery and will be listening to every Celine Dion album in her honor.