Céline Dion is taking a step back from work while she battles with her health.
On Friday, the singer officially announced her 42-date Courage World Tour has been canceled as she struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome. While it’s a disappointing move, the My Heart Will Go On vocalist insisted she is doing everything she can to get back on stage one day. She expressed:
“It is with tremendous disappointment that we have to announce today the cancellation of the Courage World Tour.”
The artist managed to perform in North America before shutting down the show during the pandemic. The tour was supposed to begin again in late August and stretch until April 2024.
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She further elaborated on the challenges of trying to put on such a massive show while dealing with her ongoing health issues, saying:
“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100 percent. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again. I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again.”
Such a positive message in the midst of a challenging time! Along with her note, the statement shared:
“As the world has emerged from the pandemic, Celine has continued to be treated for a diagnosed medical condition that prevents her from performing. Celine is working hard on her recovery, but at this time is unable to successfully prepare for and perform the remainder of the tour. […] We do have every hope that someday soon, Celine will be able to come to all of these cities in Europe to perform for her amazing fans, but that time simply is not now.”
You can read the whole thing (below).
As Perezcious readers know, the musician has been battling a rare condition, which she announced back in December. Via an emotional Instagram post at the time, she told her loyal fans:
“Hello everyone, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out to you, I miss you so much and I can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person. As you know, I’ve always been an open book and I wasn’t ready to say anything before but I’m ready now.”
She went on to share that doctors discovered she was battling Stiff Person Syndrome, a very rare disorder, explaining:
“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having. Unfortunately these 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.”
If you don’t know, Stiff Person Syndrome is an incurable neurological disease. According to the Cleveland Clinic, only about one in one million people are diagnosed with the condition. Twice as many women are said to suffer from the disease than men and symptoms can take months or years to develop, including violent spasms and an inability to walk. The disease can occur at any age but usually shows up from ages 30 to 60. The Mayo Clinic describes the health challenge as “a rare disorder of motor function characterized by involuntary stiffness of axial muscles and superimposed painful muscle spasms, which are often induced by startle or emotional stimuli.”
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After Céline first announced her diagnosis a Las Vegas-based reporter, Scott Roeben, told Page Six:
“When it’s Céline, it’s not what you do, it’s who you are. To have it taken away, it’s even more tragic. My sources believe she may not be able to return to the stage. After that initial talk of struggling with muscle spasms, we started hearing about how serious things were, but Céline is the type of person who doesn’t want people to be unnecessarily concerned: Her fans are obsessed with every breath she takes. They hang on every word.”
It’s hard to imagine a world in which Céline stops performing, but her health and well-being must always come first!
While the Grammy winner will be taking a break from work, it doesn’t mean she’s been completely off the radar amid this ordeal. Just last month, she released a new song, Love Again, for the soundtrack of a new movie with the same name. Starring alongside Priyanka Chopra and Sam Heughan, she plays a matchmaker in the rom-com. Take a listen:
Wow. Her voice sounds better than ever. We’re so sorry her body is causing her so many difficulties and wish her nothing but good vibes as she continues to face this medical complication. Sending her all the love!
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
