Celine Dion got candid about the intensive treatments and rigorous workout routines she has incorporated into her daily life as she works toward a return to the spotlight amid her battle with stiff person syndrome.
As the Grammy winner prepares to take the stage for “unforgettable shows” in Paris later this year, she detailed her commitment to an intense rehabilitation routine during an interview with Harper’s Bazaar published Tuesday.
She told the outlet that while there is no FDA-approved treatment for the rare neurological autoimmune disease, she underwent physical therapy, vocal therapy, immunotherapy and was prescribed new meds following her 2022 diagnosis.
The treatment allowed Dion, 58, to make a rare appearanceat the 2024 Paris Olympics to perform a rendition of Édith Piaf’s 1950 track “Hymne A L’Amour,” and at the 1001 Seasons of Elie Saab fashion show in Saudi Arabia that same year.
Now, she has added 90-minute Pilates sessions up to three times a week and two ballet classes into her routine as she prepares for her return to Paris in the fall.
The hitmaker gushed to the outlet about her progress, admiring how she has fallen and gotten back up so many times throughout her rehabilitation.
Dion shared how much she misses her fans, explaining she added another week of shows at the Paris La Défense Arena in September and October after the initial 10 concerts quickly sold out.
“It’s been so long,” she said. “I would like to offer them something to show how I’ve missed them.”
Reflecting on why the “My Heart Will Go On” songstress vulnerably decided to share her condition with fans, she explained, “They paid for tickets. They bought my records. They gave me that luxury. So the least I can do is tell them that I’m alive.”
John Hopkins Medicine defines stiff person syndrome as “a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Dion told Harper’s Bazaar she first experienced symptoms 17 years prior to her 2022 diagnosis.
The “Power of Love” singer shared how before putting a name to the condition, she would cancel shows, thinking she was suffering from a sinus infection or cough.
When first announcing the diagnosis in an emotional video, Dion told fans, “I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.”
The “Because You Loved Me” singer shared how the condition prevented her from singing and walking, saying, “All I know is singing. It’s what I’ve done all my life, and it’s what I love to do the most.”
At the time, she also canceled the remainder of her Courage World Tour.
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