Despite being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, Céline Dion thrilled her fans by singing during a hockey game.
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The artist from Canada is making her first appearance in public in three and a half years.
In spite of her diagnosis, Dion, 55, showed her resilience by going to a hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Vegas Golden Knights.
According to Chantal Machabée, a spokesperson for the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, this was a 'very good day.'
“She's been through a lot, and to see her like this and smiling and being so happy...it's amazing," Machabée said.
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"I know she has good days and not-so-good days, but this was a very good day, and it was reassuring."
The Canadian celebrity was demonstrating her status as "an amazing woman" by laughing and chatting during the outing, Machabée continued.
In a video that she posted in December 2022, Dion revealed that she was now suffering from an incurable neurological condition.
“Hello everyone, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reach out to you. I miss you all so much and can't wait to be on stage talking to you in person,” she said in the Instagram video.
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"As you know I've always been an open book and I wasn't ready to say anything before but I'm ready now.”
"I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it's been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I've been going through.”
"Recently I've been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff-person syndrome which affects one in a million people.”
"While we're still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what's been causing all the spasms I've been having."
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As the illness affects her vocal cords, Dion also talked about whether or not she would carry on singing while on tour.
She continued: "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.”
"It hurts me to tell you today that this means I won't be ready to restart my tour in Europe in February.”
"I have a great team of doctors working alongside me to help me get better and my precious children who are supporting me and giving me help."
The Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center describes SPS as a progressive condition that affects the neurological system, primarily the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms include significant muscle stiffness and rigidity, as well as excruciating spasms in the trunk and limbs that severely limit movement.
Céline Dion, despite her health challenges, remains an inspiration to many as she continues to engage with her fans and live her life to the fullest.
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