Celine Dion with SPS hopes to get back onto stage

“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!”

World-famous Canadian singer Celine Dion, mostly known for the Titanic movie theme song "My Heart Will Go On," shared an encouraging message with patients with an incurable disease in her battle against stiff-person syndrome (SPS). She made a confession in December 2022 that she suffered the rare chronic disease that causes muscle stiffness.

Dion posted her photo with her three sons on Instagram last Friday (local time) with a caption saying, “Today the world recognizes International SPS Awareness Day. I want to express my encouragement and support to all those around the world who have been affected by SPS. 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.”

She expressed her gratitude toward her children, family, and fans, sharing the photo of her eldest son, René-Charles, and the twins, Nelson and Eddy. Diagnosed with SPS, she canceled all of her tour dates and kept a low profile until she was caught on camera at a National Hockey League game last November. She made a surprise appearance, escorted by her eldest son, in a standing applause to present the Album of the Year award at the 2024 Grammy Awards on Feb. 4. The award went to Taylor Swift, one of the greatest divas of the time.


Yang-Hwan Jung ray@donga.com