Celine Dion cancels shows due to rare disorder
Celine Dion cancelled and postponed a series of European shows on Thursday, revealing that she was suffering from a "very rare neurological disorder" that was affecting her singing. In a five-minute video posted on Instagram in French and English, a clearly emotional Dion said she had been dealing with the health problems "for a long time". "Recently I have been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called 'stiff person syndrome' which affects something like one in a million people," the Canadian diva said. It has been causing spasms that "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," she said. "It hurts me to tell you today this means I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February." She said she was supported by her children and a team of doctors every day to improve her condition, "but I have to admit I struggle". Dion rose to worldwide fame in the 1990s with hits such as "My Heart Will Go On" and "The Power of Love", and has continued to sell out huge stadiums around the world. She first mentioned the spasms when she delayed her European tour earlier this year. Stiff-person syndrome causes progressive muscle stiffness as well as muscle spasms, normally between the ages of 30 to 60, and can remain stable in some cases or get gradually worse in others. "All I know is singing, it's what I've done all my life and it's what I love to do the most," said Dion, breaking into tears. "I miss seeing all of you, being on the stage, performing for you." Her spring dates in Europe, which were due to begin in the Czech Republic in February, have been postponed to 2024, while eight of her summer shows have been cancelled entirely. A number of performances between late August and October have not been changed. The "Courage World Tour" began in 2019, and Dion had completed 52 shows before the Covid-19 pandemic put the remainder on hold. She later cancelled the North American section of the tour due to her health problems. (AFP)