Fears for Celine Dion’s singing voice which could become ‘fragmented’ amid her incurable stiff-person syndrome battle as fans hold out hope she can return to performing

• READ MORE: Celine Dion has 13 siblings! Meet the singer’s family as her sister issues heartbreaking health update on stiff-person syndrome diagnosis

There have been fears for Celine Dion’s singing voice as an expert told how the voice can become ‘fragmented’ due to incurable stiff-person syndrome battle.

The singer, 55, suffers from a neurological disorder called stiff person syndrome (SPS), which is progressive and incurable and causes the body to attack its own nerve cells.

Her sister Claudette has now claimed that Celine no longer has ‘control over her muscles’ and poignantly added that the ‘vocal cords are muscles’ as she gave an update on the star’s condition.

A neurology professor recently told how patients with SPS’s voices can become ‘fragmented’ and said that singers specifically may have more ‘spasms’ in the vocal cords.

Meanwhile, fans have also shared their hopes that Celine will be able to return to the stage after she was forced to cancel her world tour last December.

There have been fears for Celine Dion’s singing voice (she is pictured in 2016) as an expert told how the voice can become ‘fragmented’ due to incurable stiff-person syndrome battle

Celine, who released a single titled Love Again earlier this year, recently said the spasms don’t allow her to ‘use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to’.

And neurology professor Dr Marinos Dalakas told CTVNews how some of his patients with SPS struggle with muscle stiffness and ‘fragmented’ voices.

Dr Dalakas, a professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, specifically spoke about how a singer’s voice can be affected by SPS in April.

‘When this affects the diaphragm or affects the laryngeal muscles or the vocal cord muscles, the voice becomes very thin, it doesn’t come out strong, it is fragmented,’ he said.

‘The singers might get the stiffness more and then because the voice is so important for them the spasms are focused more there.’

After Celine’s sister gave a heartbreaking update on her health, fans also took to social media to share their messages of support with the star.

They sent the beloved My Heart Will Go On hitmaker kind messages and also shared their hopes that she will be able to return to the stage.

One wrote: ‘Prayers for Celine Dion her voice is and was so beautiful I’m sad to see her going through this.’

Another said: ‘Sending love and prayers to the legendary, Celine Dion. one of the greatest vocals of all time.’

A professor recently told how patients with SPS’s voices can become ‘fragmented’ and said that singers specifically may have more ‘spasms’ in the vocal cords (Celine is pictured in 2019)

Meanwhile, fans have also shared their hopes that Celine will be able to return to the stage after she was forced to cancel her world tour last December

While a third shared their hopes, adding: ‘Hope Celine Dion gets to take the stage and sing again.’

Celine’s sister Claudette, 74, suggested that it may be a while before Celine returns to the stage following her battle with the neurological disorder.

READ MORE: What is stiff person syndrome?

Stiff person syndrome is an extremely rare disorder that makes the muscles in the torso and limbs alternate between spasming and being rigid.

It has been dubbed the ‘human statue disease’. The spasms it causes can be so severe they dislocate joints and break bones.

Estimates suggest it affects around 70 people in the UK and just 330 in the US. Around twice as many women as men are hit with it.

The disease becomes more severe over time and can cripple patients, requiring them to use a walker or wheelchair.

There are three types of the syndrome:

• Classical person man syndrome: When rigidity and spasms are around the back and stomach, and occasionally thighs and neck. It can cause back curvature over time.
• Stiff limb syndrome: Spasms especially affect the legs and feet, occasionally causing them to become fixed in place. Hands can also be affected.
• Jerking stiff person syndrome: The rarest, most aggressive form, which includes symptoms from both the others, and also affects the head and eyes.

‘She’s working hard, but she doesn’t have control over her muscles. What breaks my heart is that she’s always been disciplined,’ Claudette told 7 Jours. 

‘She’s always worked hard. Our mother always told her, ‘You’re going to do it well, you’re going to do it properly.’

She continued: ‘It’s true that in both our dreams and hers, the goal is to return to the stage. In what capacity? I don’t know.’

While research is ongoing into the condition, the rarity of it means progress has been slow.

Claudette added: ‘The vocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. This is what comes to get me. Because it’s 1 out of a million case, the scientists haven’t done that much research because it didn’t affect that many people.’

Claudette has previously revealed that despite working with ‘the top researchers in the field’, her sister has seen little improvement in her health.

She told Le Journal de Montreal: ‘We can’t find any medicine that works, but having hope is important.’

In October, Claudette said Celine was not yet reliant on a wheelchair to get around and still planning to return to performing.

People who suffer from stiff person syndrome (SPS) can turn sufferers into ‘human statues,’ leaving them struggling to walk or talk. 

The condition, which is thought to affect just one in a million people, can also lead to spasms that generate enough force to fracture bone. 

Usually, patients are diagnosed around ages 30-50, and they are mostly women. 

The star first revealed her diagnosis in December 2022 via a teary Instagram post, and months later canceled her world tour, which was scheduled to begin at the end of 2023.

Celine also spoke about how the condition had affected her singing voice as she shared the devastating news with her fans. 

She penned: ‘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.

Celine’s sister Claudette, 74, suggested that it may be a while before Celine returns to the stage following her battle with the neurological disorder (Celine is pictured in 2020)

‘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 has 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.’

Detailing the impact the condition has had on her, Celine 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.

‘I’m working hard with my sports medicine therapist every day to build bac my strength and my ability to perform again but I have to admit it’s been a struggle.

‘All I know is singing it’s what I’ve done all my life and its what I love to do the most.

‘I miss you so much. I miss seeing all of you being on the stage performing for you. I always give 100 percent when I do my show but my condition is now allowing me to give you that right now.

‘For me to reach you again, I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment, and I have hope that I’m on the road to recovery.

‘This is my focus, and I’m doing everything I can to recuperate.

‘I want to thank you so much for your wishes and love and support on my social media. This means a lot to me. 

‘Take care of yourselves. Be well. I love you guys so much and I really hope I can see you again real soon.’

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