Céline Dion has shared her struggle with a rare neurological disorder, posting a video on Instagram with the caption: “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through…It hurts me to tell you that I won’t be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February. – Céline”
The 54-year-old singer postponed the spring 2023 dates of her Courage tour after being diagnosed with Stiff-person syndrome. In her video on Instagram, Dion said the disorder causes spasms that affect her ability to walk and sing: “Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome, which effects something like one in a million people … 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 …I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better, and my precious children, who are supporting me and giving me hope. I’m working hard with my support medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again. But I have to admit, it’s been a struggle … I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you, being on the stage, performing for you. I always give 100% when I do my shows, but my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now.”
Dion was scheduled to kick-off the European leg of her Courage tour Feb. 24, 2023, in Prague, Czech Republic but has rescheduled the shows to 2024. Summer 2023 dates of her tour have also been canceled. Dion postponed the opening of her Las Vegas residency show at Resorts World Theatre in October 2021 due to “severe and persistent muscle spasms” and she canceled the remaining North American dates of her Courage tour in January, also citing muscle spasms.
Editorial credit: Tom Rose / Shutterstock.com