All shows of Celine Dion’s “Courage World Tour” until 2024 have been canceled so that the singer can continue treatment for a rare neurological disorder.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again,” says a post on the singer’s social media this Friday (26). “I’m working really hard to regain my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you are 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s better to cancel everything now until I’m really ready to return to the stage again. I want everyone to know that I won’t give up… and I can’t wait to see you all again!”
Celine postponed several shows in December after announcing that she had been diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome, a condition, she said, that does not allow her to “sing the way I’m used to.”
The disorder is “a rare and progressive syndrome that affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and causes progressive muscle stiffness and muscle spasms.
“While we are still learning about this rare condition, we now know that this is what is causing all the spasms I’ve been having,” Celine said last December when she announced she was ill. “Unfortunately, these spasms affect all aspects of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties walking and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
Stiff-Person Syndrome
• Stiff-Person Syndrome is an autoimmune disease that affects the nervous system.
• It is estimated that the syndrome affects one individual in every million people.
• The most common symptoms of the syndrome include muscle stiffness and spasms.
• Symptoms can be triggered by stress and other stimuli, such as mechanical and auditory.
• The treatment for the syndrome does not aim for a cure, but rather to control the symptoms and consequently improve the individual’s quality of life.
Source: CNN