Celine Dion ‘doing everything to recover’ from health struggle as sister admits ‘there’s little we can do’

As singing sensation Celine Dion persists in her ongoing health battle, her sister has once again shared an update with fans, revealing the singer is staying “strong” and “doing everything to recover”.

Dion, renowned for her powerful vocals and chart-topping hits, has been battling Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), the debilitating illness posing significant challenges for Dion, making it difficult to perform and forcing her to postpone several of her shows in the past.

However, the artist’s determination to overcome this obstacle has not wavered with the singer’s sister, Claudette, revealing that Dion is “doing everything to recover”.

“She’s a strong woman,” she told HELLO! Canada.

As Dion strives to overcome the challenging condition, her sister acknowledges the limited options for helping her due to the lack of knowledge about SPS.

“It’s an illness we know so little about,” she said.

“There are spasms – they’re impossible to control. You know who people often jump up in the night because of a cramp in the leg or the calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles.

“There’s little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain.”

Public concerns regarding Dion’s well-being initially emerged in January 2022 when the renowned singer canceled the North American leg of her Courage World Tour due to “severe and persistent muscle spasms.”

Dion shocked fans when in December 2022 she took to social media to reveal her diagnosis of SPS, a condition that was significantly impacting every facet of her daily life. She shared that the disorder occasionally led to walking difficulties and hindered her ability to use her vocal cords.

 

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Stiff person syndrome, as explained by the National Organisation for Rare Disorders (NORD), is a rare neurological disorder marked by gradual muscle stiffness and recurring episodes of painful muscle spasms. These spasms can manifest sporadically or be triggered by various factors, such as sudden noise or light physical contact.

Navigating her SPS diagnosis continues to be a learning process for the 55-year-old artist. Throughout this journey, her three sons—René-Charles Angélil and twins Eddy Angélil and Nelson Angélil—whom she shares with her late husband René Angélil, have been a pillar of strength, supporting her amid the challenges to her health.

Despite the heart-wrenching diagnosis, Dion remains resolute in maintaining a positive outlook.

“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 have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I’m doing everything that I can to recuperate,” she previously reassured fans.

While a cure for SPS has yet to be discovered, the National Institute for Neurological Disorders outlines that treatments and medications exist to slow down its progression, offering a glimmer of hope to those affected by this rare condition.