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Celine Dion will not be going on tour this year or the next as she keeps battling stiff-person syndrome disease. The veteran singer has canceled all 2023 and 2024 tour dates for her Courage world tour over her health struggles. In recent years, Celine has struggled with a rare neurological condition called Stiff-Person Syndrome. She was first diagnosed with the disorder in 2022, and it seems to have been affecting her ability to perform. This appears to have led her to cancel dates for her tour repeatedly. Here’s everything there is to know about what Stiff-person syndrome is and how Celine Dion’s neurological disease has impacted her.
What Is Stiff-Person Syndrome? Explained
Celine first shared her struggle with the neurological disorder in 2022. The Canadian singer took to Instagram on Thursday, December 8, 2022, to share that she has been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome. The 55-year-old stated that the syndrome affects “one in a million people” before explaining how she is treating the condition.
Per Healthline, stiff-person syndrome is an extremely rare progressive neurological and autoimmune disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms of Stiff-person syndrome include muscle rigidity in the trunk, arms, and legs, often triggered by noise, touch, and emotional distress.
Celine’s condition, however, features muscle spasms. As a result, people with stiff-person syndrome often experience frequent falls due to the lack of defensive reflexes to save themselves. Sufferers are also often unable to walk or move, which is twice as common in women than in men. The ailment tends to leave sufferers static.
The cause of stiff-person syndrome is unknown, and the condition is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia. Although there is no cure for the disorder, anti-anxiety drugs, muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, and pain relief can improve symptoms.
How Celine Dion’s Disease Affects Her
Celine revealed that spasms caused by stiff-person syndrome affect every aspect of her daily life, including her ability to walk and sing. The music star stated in an Instagram video:
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having. Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
The superstar also shared that she is focusing on getting better to proceed with the Courage world tour, which she has to halt. In October 2021, Celine revealed that she was ill but did not state the illness which had led her to delay her Las Vegas shows at the time. The My Heart Will Go On hitmaker has not taken to the stage since then and has had to cancel and postpone numerous tour dates.
The Courage World Tour would have been Celine’s fourteenth concert tour in support of her 2019 studio album Courage. It was her first world tour over a decade since Taking Chances World Tour. She had completed 52 dates of the Courage tour, which launched in September 2019, before it was postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic. However, the songster could not go on with the tour as planned because of her condition, leading to a further postponement.
Dion Canceled Her Tour Dates
Now, all 2023 and 2024 dates of the Courage tour have been canceled due to her struggle with stiff-person syndrome. On Friday, May 26, 2023, The Power of Love vocalist took to social media to share the saddening news. “It is with tremendous disappointment that we have to announce today the cancellation of the Courage World Tour,” she wrote.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again. I want you all to know I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again! – Celine xx…”
Earlier this year, the U.K. and Europe legs of the tour were postponed for the third time to February 2023. The U.S. leg of the tour was also cut short. At the time, Dion cited health issues but did not disclose a diagnosis.
That’s everything there is to know about what Stiff-person syndrome is and how Celine Dion’s neurological disease has impacted her.