More than two years after announcing she’d been diagnosed with a rare neurological condition, Celine Dion is looking to the future with optimism.
The five-time Grammy winner appears on the cover of Vogue France’s May issue and, in the accompanying interview, opens up about her experience with stiff person syndrome.
“I haven’t beat the disease, as it’s still within me and always will be,” Dion told the publication. “I hope that we’ll find a miracle, a way to cure it with scientific research, but for now I have to learn to live with it.”
After noting that she undergoes “athletic, physical and vocal therapy” five days a week, she added: “The way I see it, I have two choices. Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it’s over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself. I’ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!”
Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is defined by the National Institutes of Health as “a rare, progressive neurological disorder” that can cause muscle spasms. The condition can be so debilitating that some patients develop a hunched posture, eventually preventing them from walking or moving independently at all. Though symptoms can be kept under control with treatment, there is no cure.
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Dion first revealed that she’d been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in December 2022, and noted that the condition had impacted both her livelihood and ability to perform live.
The French Canadian chanteuse has maintained a low profile and stayed largely absent from social media since her announcement. In recent months, however, she’s made a number of public appearances. In February, she was greeted with a standing ovation at the 2024 Grammy Awards, where she presented Taylor Swift with the award for Album of the Year.
As to whether fans can expect her to resume her performing career anytime soon, Dion told Vogue France that a return to the concert stage was “the dream,” but did not specify a time frame in which that may be possible.
’I can’t answer that… Because for four years I’ve been saying to myself that I’m not going back, that I’m ready, that I’m not ready,” she said. “As things stand, I can’t stand here and say to you: ‘Yes, in four months.’ I don’t know… My body will tell me.”
Dion is expected to share more details about her health in a forthcoming documentary. Due out June 25 on Amazon Prime Video, “I Am: Celine Dion” is billed as “a snapshot of a pivotal time” for the five-time Grammy winner, as she “navigates her journey toward living an open and authentic life amidst illness.”