Celine Dion’s triumphant comeback, amid health battle
Source: Instagram
Singer Celine Dion has made a triumphant return to a magazine cover, as she reveals more about her devastating health battle.
“It’s a lot of work,” the Canadian singer told Vogue France in a cover story published on Monday.
“I didn’t fight the disease, it is still in me and forever.”
Dion revealed in December 2022 that she has stiff-person syndrome – a progressive neurological disorder that affects the brain and the spinal cord.
This week, she told the magazine how music has helped her endure the strenuous physical therapy that helps to treat the condition.
“We will find, I hope, a miracle, a way to cure it with scientific research, but I must learn to live with it,” she said.
“That’s me, now with stiff person syndrome. Five days a week I do athletic, physical and vocal therapy. I work on my toes as well as my knees, calves, fingers, singing, voice.”
Dion said she was initially devastated by her diagnosis, blaming herself and searching for why she might have developed the condition.
“Life doesn’t give you answers. You simply have to live it! I have this disease for some unknown reason,” she said.
“I have two choices. Either I train like an athlete and I work super hard or I disconnect and it’s over, I stay at home, I listen to my songs, I stand in front of my mirror and I sing to myself.
“I chose to work with all my body and all my soul, from head to toe with a medical team. I want to be my best self. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!”
The multiple Grammy winner also talked about a potential return to performing.
“For four years I’ve been saying to myself that I’m not going back, that I’m ready, that I’m not ready … As things stand, I can’t stand here and say to you: ‘Yes, in four months,'” Dion said.
“I don’t know … My body will tell me. On the other hand, I don’t just want to wait. It’s morally hard to live from day to day. It’s hard, I’m working very hard and tomorrow will be even harder. Tomorrow is another day. But there’s one thing that will never stop, and that’s the will. It’s the passion. It’s the dream. It’s the determination.”
The My Heart Will Go On singer thanked her family, children and “above all” her fans for the motivation to find treatments that helped her.
“People who suffer from [stiff person syndrome] may not have the chance or the means to have good doctors or good treatments,” she said.
“I have these means, I have this gift. Plus, I have this strength in me. I know nothing is going to stop me.”
This week’s article follows a poignant social media post from Dion to mark International Stiff Person Syndrome Awareness Day in March.
“Trying to overcome this autoimmune disorder has been one of the hardest experiences of my life, but I remain determined to one day get back onto the stage and to live as normal of a life as possible,” she captioned the rare photo of herself with sons René-Charles, 23, and 13-year-old twins, Nelson and Eddy.
“I am deeply grateful for the love and support from my kids, family, team and all of you!
Stiff-person syndrome causes muscle rigidity and increased sensitivity to sound, touch and emotional stimuli that can trigger spasms. The condition is considered rare, affecting about one in a million people.
In October 2021, before her diagnosis was public, the condition led Dion to postpone her Las Vegas residency.