Céline Dion has been forced to postpone her upcoming European Courage tour after being diagnosed with a rare disease.
The My Heart Will Go On singer was due to perform 17 shows in Europe from February of next year. However, the Grammy award-winning singer took to social media earlier today to reveal that she has had to postpone her tour.
“Hello everyone, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out to you. I miss you all so much and can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person,” the 54-year-old began in an emotional video message.
“I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it’s been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,” she admitted candidly, before stating her diagnosis.
“Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the Stiff Person Syndrome which affects one in a million people,” Céline revealed.
SPS causes uncontrollable and unpredictable muscle spasms, which ends up locking the person’s body into rigid positions. There is currently no cure for the condition.
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all the spasms I’ve been having,” Céline explained. “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I’m used to.”
After sharing the devastating news that she will not be able to tour in February as planned, Céline insisted that she is doing everything possible to be performance-ready for her rescheduled dates in March and April of 2024.
“I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build back my strength and my ability to perform again but I have to admit it’s been a struggle,” she detailed.
The Canadian star added: “For me to reach you again I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment and I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery. This is my focus and I’m doing everything I can to recuperate.”
We’re sending all of our love to Céline!
