CELINE DION. Via a video posted on Instagram, singer Céline Dion revealed that she had stiff person syndrome, a neurological disease that forced her to cancel her European tour.
[Mis à jour le 08 décembre 2022 à 16h59] Celine Dion, absent from the scene for two and a half years, breaks the silence. On her Instagram account, the Canadian singer posted a poignant video this Thursday, December 8, in which she reveals the reasons for her absence and silence for months. Facing the camera, dressed in black and a long necklace, her throat tied, the interpreter of I’ll go wherever you will go reveals that his doctors diagnosed him with a rare neurological condition called Stiff-person syndrome in English, or stiff man syndrome in French.
Due to her fragile health, Celine Dion also announces the cancellation of several dates of her tour Courage World Tour, in Europe, already postponed to February 2023. If many concerts are canceled until the summer, his concerts planned in France, at Paris La Défense Arena, are (for the moment) maintained. According to her website and the latest news from her producers, Celine Dion will therefore be back on stage on August 26, 2023, in Amsterdam. Until further cancellations?
What is the Stiff-person syndromeCeline Dion’s disease?
In a video posted Thursday, December 8 on Instagram, Celine Dion explains that she has a very rare neurological disease, called in English Stiff-person syndrome. A pathology that affects “about one person in a million”, as Celine Dion explains in her video and which is translated, in French, by “stiff man syndrome.”
This disorder of the nervous system is characterized (hence its name), by a progressive stiffness of the muscles, in particular those of the trunk, which causes, as in Celine Dion, the famous muscular spasms from which she had previously revealed to suffer. This pathology, discovered in 1956, is treated with muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants or anxiolytics. Stiff-person syndrome affects twice as many women as men and peak incidence is around age 45, explains Orpha.net“the portal for rare diseases.”
“The progressive muscular stiffness leads to immobility of the trunk and hips and the gait becomes stiff and particular”, is it detailed on the same site.
Celine Dion’s Instagram video
“Hello everyone. I’m sorry it took so long to update you. I miss you all and can’t wait to get on stage to talk to you in person. As you know, I ‘ve always been an open book, but until now I was not ready to talk about what I had to go through”, begins the singer Celine Dion in her video, posted in French and English on her account Instagram, this Thursday, December 8, 2022.
And to detail: “I have had health problems for a long time and it is not easy for me to cope with them. Recently I was diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder, called in English Stiff-person syndrome, which affects approximately one in a million people. We do not yet know everything about this rare disease but we now know that it is the cause of the muscle spasms from which I suffer. Unfortunately these spasms affect my everyday life on several levels. I sometimes have a lot of difficulty walking and I can’t use my vocal cords as I would like.”
Celine Dion cancels her European tour
In the same video, Celine Dion explains that due to her state of health, she will not be able to go back on stage for her European tour, postponed to early 2023. “It saddens me enormously to have to tell you today that I won’t be ready to start my tour of Europe again in February, says the singer. I like to listen to an excellent team of doctors who treat me to make me feel better. And it is my children who give me the courage and the hope to Also, I train every day with my sports medicine therapist to regain strength and stamina to allow me to perform again, but I must admit that it is an ongoing struggle.
She adds: “Singing is what I’ve done all my life and for me, not being able to do it anymore is unimaginable. I miss seeing you, being on stage, performing for you. I’m I always give 100% in my concerts, but right now I’m in no condition to do so. To find you, I have no choice but to focus on my health. And I’m hopeful to to be on the right track.”
And to conclude: “I am very grateful to you for all your messages of encouragement on my social networks, your words mean a lot to me and help me a lot. Take care of yourself. Be well. I hope very very much to be able to see you again soon. Thank you.”
Concerts in France maintained
After two first postponements due to the Covid, then the state of health of singer Céline Dion, the concert dates in France from Courage World Tour have been modified several times. However, the production of the diva ensures that the concerts in France announced in the summer and fall of 2023, are maintained (for the moment). Also, Celine Dion will perform at Paris la Défense Arena on September 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and 10, 2023. However, the highly anticipated date at Les Vieilles Charrues on July 13, also twice postponed, has been canceled.
- September 1, 2023 – Postponement of 06/26/20, 03/19/21 and 09/16/22
- September 2, 2013 – Postponement of 06/26/2020, 03/20/21 and 09/17/22
- September 5, 2023 – Postponement of 06/30/20, 03/23/21 and 09/20/22
- September 6, 2023 – Postponement of 01/07/20, 24/03/21 and 01/09/22
- September 9, 2023 – Postponement of 07/03/20, 03/26/21 and 09/23/22
- September 10, 2023 – Postponement of 04/07/20, 27/03/21 and 24/09/22)