Last year, Celine Dion revealed she was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that causes muscular stiffness and spasms. In a new interview, Dion’s sister Claudette told 7 Jours that the star’s disorder had progressed and she can no longer control her muscles.
In the interview, which is translated from French, Claudette stressed that very little is known about SPS because of its rarity. “She works hard,” she said of Celine, “but she doesn’t have control over her muscles.”
Dion shared her diagnosis in 2022, over a year after suspending her Las Vegas residency to focus on her health. “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time,” she said in an emotional video, adding that the spasms have affected “every aspect of my daily life,” including how she walks and uses her vocal cords. Earlier this year, Claudette shared that Celine was living with their sister Linda while she gets specialized care for the condition. A few months ago, Celine was seen attending a hockey game with her three sons and meeting with the coach of the Montreal Canadiens in the arena’s locker room. Later that week, she was in the crowd at Katy Perry’s final Las Vegas residency show.
Still, Claudette says that her sister hasn’t given up hope that she’ll sing again. “In our dreams and hers,” she said, “the goal is to return to the stage. In what state? I don’t know. The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle.”
