Celine Dion's sister shares singer 'cant find any medicine that works' for her rare condition
The sister of Celine Dion shared a few updates about the Canadian pop icon who is battling a rare neurological disorder. She said that their other sister moved into the singer's home and that Celine is struggling to find any medication that works for her.
In an interview with local paper Le Journal de Montreal, Claudette Dion said Linda is living with Celine—and her three sons—to attend to her needs as she has Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS).
The condition causes muscle stiffness as well as spasms, normally between the ages of 30 and 60. The symptoms can remain stable in some cases but get progressively worse in others.
According to the United States National Institutes of Health, it affects twice as many women as men.
If left untreated, SPS can potentially lead to difficulty walking and significantly impact a person's ability to perform routine daily tasks.
Although the exact cause of this syndrome is unknown, it is believed to be an autoimmune disease and sometimes occurs with other autoimmune diseases.
Claudette said that though Celine is "working hard" and is "listening to the top researchers of the field of this rare disease as much as possible," they "can't find any medicine that works."
"[B]ut having hope is important," Claudette said.
Celine's sister noted that she "mostly needs to rest," as she "always goes above and beyond, she always tries to be the best and top of her game."
"At one point, your heart and your body are trying to tell you something. It's important to listen to it," Claudette added.
It was in December 2022 that Celine announced to the public her condition through a tearful video.
This, she said, has affected her singing, forcing her to cancel shows scheduled for 2023 to 2024.
Celine, the youngest of 14 children, got her start at 12 when her mother sent a recording of her to Angelil, who mortgaged his own home to finance her first album.
She began singing in French but started bellowing out hits in English after taking language lessons in the 1980s.
She gained worldwide fame in 1997 with My Heart Will Go On, the theme to James Cameron's epic film Titanic.
Celine became one of the top women singers in the world with her octave-busting voice. Her other hits include It's All Coming Back to Me Now, Because You Loved Me and Think Twice. (with reports from AFP)