Celine Dion “Determined” to “Get Back Onto the Stage” Despite Rare Neurological Disorder

Celine Dion recognized International Stiff-Person Syndrome Awareness Day by sharing her determination to overcome her symptoms and return to the stage. 

The renowned singer brought awareness to the day with a post on Instagram that featured a photo of herself and her three sons, René-Charles Angélil, 23, and twins Eddy and Nelson, 13.

In the caption, Celine admitted that “trying to overcome this autoimmune disorder has been one of the hardest experiences” of her life. But she intends to keep fighting so she can “one day get back onto the stage” and “live as normal of a life as possible.”

The 55-year-old went on to thank her fans, family, teams, and team for all of their support. 

“I want to send my encouragement and support to all those around the world that have been affected by SPS,” she concluded. “I want you to know you can do it! We can do it!”

Celine Dion learned of her condition in 2022, and the symptoms have since taken her away from performing. According to Yale University’s Dr. Kunal Desai, Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS) causes painful muscle spasms and progressive muscle stiffness primarily in the lower back and upper legs. Sometimes, It can also create the same problems in muscles used to speak and swallow. 

Only one to two out of one million will be diagnosed with the condition each year. 

After announcing her SPS in December of 2022, Celine stayed out of the public eye for nearly a year. Her first public outing came in Nov. 2023 when she attended an NHL game. Then this past February, she made a surprise appearance at the 66th annual Grammys to present Taylor Swift with the Album of the Year award. 

“This last couple of years has been such a challenge for me, the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me,” Celine Dion wrote in a press release. “As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans.”

Celine will detail her story in a documentary titled I Am: Céline Dion, which should drop on Amazon Prime later this year. 

“During this absence,” she continued in the release, “I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.”

This story’s featured image is by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy.