Renowned Canadian singer Céline Dion continues to battle stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder affecting her muscles. Her older sister, Claudette, expressed concern over Céline’s condition, revealing that she “doesn’t have control over her muscles.” Despite her unwavering work ethic and desire to return to the stage, the progressive and incurable nature of the syndrome poses significant challenges. Claudette emphasized the limited research into this rare condition due to its rarity, affecting only one in a million cases.
August 2023: Claudette gave a hopeful update on Celine’s health.
In August 2023, Claudette told HELLO! Canada that Celine was “doing everything to recover” and that “she’s a strong woman.”
She explained that since it’s a pretty rare illness, they only know a little about it. She looked back on the symptoms her sister was facing, “there are spasms—they’re impossible to control.” Claudette compared it to jumping awake at night because of a cramp in the leg. “It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles.”
Claudette believed that Celine just needed to rest, and said that she’s “spent all her life above it all, trying to be the biggest and strongest. At some point, your ‘little’ heart and ‘little’ body is speaking to you. It’s important,” she told Le Journal de Montreal, which is translated from French.
She shared that unfortunately there’s little they can do to support her or even alleviate her pain, though she is working with doctors who specialize in stiff-person syndrome.