Celine Dion has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, causing her to postpone dates for her upcoming world tour.
In an emotional video posted to Instagram, the singer announced that her 2023 tour will be postponed a year due to being diagnosed with a neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome.
What is stiff-person syndrome?
Stiff-person syndrome, or SPS, is a “rare, progressive syndrome that affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord,” per the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center.
SPS is an extremely rare neurological disorder that affects only one or two in a million people, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Symptoms include progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms that can be triggered by things such as sudden movement and loud noises.
In her Instagram video, Dion stated, “The spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
“I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better,” Dion continued. “I’m working with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again.”
When will Celine Dion be able to tour again?
Celine Dion’s “Courage World Tour” was rescheduled for 2024. Her summer 2023 tour dates were also canceled.
According to her website, “Tickets purchased for the twenty-three rescheduled dates will be honored for the new dates in 2024.”
Tickets for the eight canceled summer tour dates will be refunded.