Iconic Canadian singer Celine Dion is reportedly struggling with muscle control, as revealed by her older sister Claudette.
A year since the “My Heart Will Go On” singer had to call off her global tour, her 74-year-old sister hinted that 55-year-old Celine might face a long delay before resuming the tour due to her struggle with a neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome.
This disorder, both progressive and without a cure, leads to the body damaging its own nerve cells, significantly hindering mobility.
“She’s working hard, but she doesn’t have control over her muscles. What breaks my heart is that she’s always been disciplined,” Claudette stated.
“She’s always worked hard. Our mother always told her, ‘You’re going to do it well, you’re going to do it properly.'”
“It’s true that in both our dreams and hers, the goal is to return to the stage. In what capacity? I don’t know,” she added. Due to its rarity, research into stiff person syndrome has progressed slowly.
Claudette noted, “The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what comes to get me. Because it’s 1 out of a million cases, the scientists haven’t done that much research because it didn’t affect that many people.”
The Dion family’s charity, Fondation Maman Dion, has received numerous supportive messages for Celine.
Claudette said, “Some people have lost hope because it’s an illness that isn’t well known.”
“If only you knew the number of phone calls the Foundation gets about Celine! People tell us they love her and they’re praying for her. She gets so many messages, presents, and blessed crucifixes.”
Despite collaborations with leading researchers, Claudette revealed minimal improvement in Celine’s health.
She told Le Journal de Montreal, “We can’t find any medicine that works, but having hope is important.”
In October, Claudette stated that Celine was not wheelchair-dependent and still aspired to perform again.
Celine disclosed her diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post in December 2022. Subsequently, she canceled her world tour set for late 2023.
A YouTube video titled ‘Celine Dion’s Family Reveals How She Is Dying’ and its TikTok repost, with over 430,000 views, speculated rapidly on her health, sparking rumors of her being wheelchair-bound.
Claudette, however, refuted these rumors in an interview, asserting Celine’s mental strength and zest for life. She questioned the origin of false claims regarding Celine’s health, like being wheelchair-bound or having cancer.
Despite her struggles, Celine has not abandoned her plans to return to performing, Claudette confirmed.
Earlier this year, Claudette also told the press that the icon is recuperating in Denver and following her doctors’ advice closely because she “wants to come back, that’s for sure.
