A heartbreaking update has come through regarding a legendary singer, whose audiences have been worrying about since her first announcement confirming her ill-health.
Canadian songstress Celine Dion is known for iconic hits such as ‘The Power Of Love’ and ‘My Heart Will Go On’, however, she has been silently battling a terrible disease since 2022.
Celine’s sister has now confirmed that she no longer has 'control over her muscles' and that the illness has the potential to affect her vocal cords and career.
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This comes after Celine was forced to cancel her world tour last December, as the 55-year-old was struggling with stiff person syndrome, a neurological disorder which causes the body to attack its own nerve cells, impacting mobility.
Her older sister, Claudette, told Canadian outlet 7 Jours: “She's working hard, but she doesn't have control over her muscles. What breaks my heart is that she's always been disciplined.
“She's always worked hard. Our mother always told her, 'You're going to do it well, you're going to do it properly'.”
She added: “It's true that in both our dreams and hers, the goal is to return to the stage. In what capacity? I don't know.”
Even though the singer is eager to continue with her career, due to the rarity of the condition and the little research done on it, it’s unknown how the illness will progress.
Claudette explained: “The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what comes to get me.
“Because it's 1 out of a million case, the scientists haven't done that much research because it didn't affect that many people.”
However, there has been one overwhelming support in Celine’s life since she candidly shared her diagnosis - her fans, who rushed to flood Celine's family charity, Fondation Maman Dion, with messages and gifts in support.
Claudette shared: “Some people have lost hope because it's all illness that isn't well known. If only you knew the number of phone calls the Foundation gets about Celine! People tell us they love her and they're praying for her. She gets so many messages, presents and blessed crucifixes.”
But the progression of the disorder has yet to be understood as despite working with ‘the top researchers in the field', there has been little improvement in her health, and it wasn’t long ago that Claudette revealed that they couldn’t find medicines that worked.
Stiff person syndrome is a terrible disorder that can leave sufferers unable to walk or talk, as well as suffering from painful spasms that can fracture bones.
As it is thought to affect just one in a million people, the illness has not been researched thoroughly.
But regardless of her struggles, Claudette calls her sister ‘strong’ and is adamant that they’ll get through this hurdle.
She told showbizz.net: “I know that morally, mentally, she is strong. She is not depressed at all … she really has the joy of living. We will get through this.”
Britt Jones