Celine Dion diagnosed with incurable neurological disease Stiff Person Syndrome

Celine Dion has been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), which causes her muscles to tense uncontrollably.

Ultimately, the condition leaves sufferers looking like “human statues” as it progressively locks the body into rigid positions, ultimately leaving people unable to walk or speak.

While there is no cure for the condition, there are treatments to slow the progression, and Celine reveals that she is doing everything she can to minimize the symptoms.

The 54-year-old singer addressed her fans in a tearful Instagram post on Thursday as she revealed that she forced her to cancel her European tour.

She wrote: ‘Hi everyone, sorry it took so long to get back to you. I miss you all so much and can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person.

‘As you know, I’ve always been an open book and I wasn’t ready to say anything before, but I’m ready now.

I have been dealing with health issues for a long time and it has been very difficult for me to face my challenges and talk about everything I have been going through.

“I have recently been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome which affects 1 in a million people.

“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know that this is what’s been causing all the spasms I’ve been having.”

Detailing the impact the condition has had on her, Celine continued: “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes making it difficult for me to walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I I used”.

It pains me to tell you today that this means I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February.

I have a great team of doctors who work by my side to help me get better and my precious children who support me and give me help.

I am working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to regain my strength and ability to perform again, but I have to admit it has been a struggle.

‘All I know is singing, it’s what I’ve done all my life and it’s what I like to do the most.

‘I miss you a lot. I miss seeing all of you on stage performing for you.

I always give 100 percent when I do my show, but my condition now allows me to give that to you right now.

“In order to contact you again, I have no choice but to focus on my health at this time and I am hopeful that I am on the road to recovery.”

‘This is my focus and I’m doing everything I can to recover.

I want to thank you very much for your wishes, love and support on my social networks. This means a lot to me.

‘Take care. Be fine. I love you very much and I really hope to see you again very soon.

Celine first hinted at her health issues in January when she canceled the North American dates of her Courage World Tour from March 9 to April 22.

The announcement came three months after he had to cancel the start of his comeback residency in Las Vegas over the same health issue.

Celine has become known as the ‘Queen of Las Vegas’ due to her hugely successful residencies there.

After retiring from her famed Caesars Palace residency in 2019, she was convinced to return to Sin City to perform at the new Resorts World on the Strip.

A statement on her website says that Celine “has recently been treated for severe and persistent muscle spasms that prevent her from performing, and her recovery is taking longer than she expected.”

“His medical team continues to evaluate and treat the condition.”

Celine added: “I really hoped I’d be okay to go by now, but I guess I just have to be more patient and follow the regimen my doctors prescribe.”

‘There is a lot of organization and preparation in our shows, so we have to make decisions today that will affect the plans two months from now. I will be very happy to be fully healthy again, as well as for all of us to get through this pandemic, and I can’t wait to get back on stage again.”

She continued: ‘In the meantime, I have been very touched by all the words of encouragement that everyone has been sending me on social media. I feel your love and support and it means a lot to me.’

It is the latest tragedy to happen to Celine after the death of her husband Rene Angelil at the age of 73 in 2016.

Celine shares three children with her late husband: Rene-Charles, 21, and twin boys Nelson and Eddy, 12.

He met Rene in Canada when she was a 12-year-old aspiring singer and he was already 38. He became her manager.

His dedication to furthering his career reportedly led him to mortgage his home in order to finance his 1981 debut album, La Voix du bon Dieu.

René and Celine officially began dating in 1987, when she was just 19 and he was 45, and in 1991 they got engaged.

However, it was only in 1993 that she publicized their romance, slipping the announcement into the liner notes of her The Color Of My Love album.

In December 1994, they were married in Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica, which became the site of their eldest son Rene-Charles’s christening and Rene’s funeral.

Rene died at age 73 of a heart attack while suffering from terminal throat cancer in January 2016. Two days later, Celine lost her brother Daniel to throat cancer.

That August, Celine released a tribute album to him in French titled Encore un soir, with a single of the same name being a hit in French-speaking markets.