Celine Dion 'doesn't have control over her muscles' due to stiff-person syndrome: sister

An year after Celine Dion revealed her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, her sister has shared an update on the singer's health condition.

Celine Dion's struggle with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, has worsened. The singer “doesn't have control over her muscles”, said her sister Claudette Dion in an interview with 7 Jours. Celine, known for evergreen hits like I'm Alive, My Heart Will Go On and Because You Loved Me had opened up about her diagnosis an year ago. She was recently seen in the movie, Love Again, starring Priyanka Chopra.

Celine Dion during one of her stage performances in 2019. (AFP)

Talking about her condition, Claudette said, "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.'" Expressing Celine's desire to return to stage, she further said, "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."

Last year in December, Celine had cancelled a series of shows amid health problems. In a video message for her fans on Instagram, she had said, “Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called 'stiff person syndrome' which affects something like one in a million people.” She said the condition “affects every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I'm used to.”

The singer claimed that she has the support of her children and a team of doctors every day "but I have to admit I struggle". Breaking down into tears, she said, "All I know is singing, it's what I've done all my life and it's what I love to do the most. I miss seeing all of you, being on the stage, performing for you."

The stiff-person syndrome is a rare autoimmune movement disorder that affects the central nervous system. It is also called SPS or Moersch-Woltman syndrome. It causes chronic pain and spasms, usually triggered by noise, emotional distress and light physical touch. The person can experience stiffening of the muscles near the trunk and abdomen area and stiffness around the legs and other muscles of the body.

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