Celine Dion is expressing gratitude for her family, friends and fans to mark International Stiff Person Syndrome Awareness Day on March 15.
On Instagram, Dion, who was diagnosed with the neurological disorder stiff person syndrome in 2022, shared a rare family picture of her with her three sons, René-Charles and fraternal twins Eddy and Nelson.
In the sweet snap, Dion, 55, stood behind René-Charles and put her arms around her twin boys, who stood on either side of her.
"As many of you know, in the fall of 2022, I was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS)," she captioned the pic. "Trying to overcome this autoimmune disorder has been one of the hardest experiences of my life, but I remain determined to one day get back onto the stage and to live as normal of a life as possible."
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"I am deeply grateful for the love and support from my kids, family, team and all of you!" she continued. "I want to send my encouragement and support to all those around the world that have been affected by SPS. I want you to know you can do it! We can do it! Love Celine xx…"
Stiff person syndrome is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that causes stiffness and muscle spasms in the body, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Symptoms include stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs and sensitivity to noise, touch and emotional distress.
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In December 2022, Dion revealed her diagnosis with a tearful video explaining why she had to postpone some of her tour dates.
Dion seemed to be in good spirits at recent public appearances in March and February, including being photographed in New York City and making a visit to the Edmonton Oilers’ locker room.
She also presented an award at the 2024 Grammys. During the ceremony, she told the audience that she was happy to be there.
“Thank you all, I love you right back,” Dion said as she received a standing ovation on stage. “When I say, I’m happy to be here, I really mean it from my heart.”
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