Céline Dion Makes First Public Appearance Since Stiff-Person Syndrome Announcement
Last year, French-Canadian singer Celine Dion had opened up about being diagnosed with Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological condition. Since then, she has been keeping a low profile. In fact, Dion had not been seen in public for almost four years until earlier this week, when she and her sons attended an NHL game in Las Vegas.
The singer took to Instagram to share a rare photo of herself, writing in the caption: "My boys and I had such a fun time visiting with the Montreal Canadiens after their hockey game with Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas Monday night. They played so well, what a game! Thank you for meeting us after the game, guys! That was memorable for all of us."
In the photos, the 'My Heart Will Go On' musician was seen wearing a white puffer jacket, accompanied by son Ren -Charles, 22, and twins Eddy and Nelson, 13. In the captions, her followers shared their happiness on seeing her after so long. "Little by little, day by day one step at a time! We've missed you so much!" one comment read. Another person commented, "All of you look marvelous and radiant! We are so thankful for you C line Dion God bless."
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"It's so great to see you doing so well! I'm so happy you got to enjoy the game with your sons!" someone wrote, while another commented: "Never lose faith Celine Dion, God is always with you. Your voice touched the world and today the world touches the sky with prayers for you to be well. God bless you."
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In December last year, Dion had announced she would be postponing her 2023 spring tour to 2024, and cancelling eight summer 2023 shows, citing health concerns. In May 2023, she cancelled the entire tour. "I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it's been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I've been going through. It hurts me to tell you that I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February," Dion had captioned the announcement video.
In the video, the singer said she had been diagnosed with a "very rare neurological condition called stiff-person syndrome, which affects something like one in a million people".
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According to the Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation, symptoms of SPS include muscle rigidity, stiffness and painful spasms in muscles of the trunk, including the back and limbs. The muscle spasms and stiffness are "highly variable in their severity and rate of worsening".
"The stiffness may affect limbs to a different extent. The stiffness along with rigidity can contribute to an unsteady gait. Walking may become difficult, and people become more prone to falls and injury. Sometimes overall mobility becomes more difficult and a variety of assistive devices including a walker or wheelchair may be necessary," it explains.
