Celine Dion Makes First Public Appearance In Years Amid Health Battle

Celine Dion has made her first public appearance since sharing her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis in December 2022, In Style reports. Dion was at a Montreal Canadiens National Hockey League game on Monday (30 October).

The game was held at the T-Mobile Arena, and Dion attended the match and later visited the team in the locker room with her sons, René-Charles, 22, and twins Nelson and Eddy, 13. You can watch the footage below.

While meeting the players in the locker room, coach Martin St. Louis was shaking Dion’s hand, who said, “It's such an honour to meet you” in an Instagram video (translated from French to English). Dion also told the players, “Just stay healthy, strong...do what you do best.”

Her public appearance follows a reported 600 days of the singer not being photographed in public, The National Enquirer reported in August.

Celine Dion cancelled all 2023 and 2024 dates on her Courage tour in May due to her recent Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis. “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again,” she said. “I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%.

“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.”

Stiff Person Syndrome is a rare neurological condition that’s characterised by spasms and often associated with autoimmune diseases such as type-1 diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anaemia.

While Celine and her family have been consulting “the top researchers in the field”, the My Heart Will Go On singer is still struggling. “We can't find any medicine that works, but having hope is important,” her sister, Claudette, told Le Journal de Montreal via SheMazing earlier this year.

Stiff Person Syndrome affects around one in a million people. In a candid video statement to her fans, Dion addressed concerns and opened up about what she was facing. “While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms I’ve been having,” she said.

Dion explained, “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.”

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