Céline Dion makes a surprise appearance at the 2024 Grammys after being diagnosed with a rare neurological disease

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Céline Dion surprised everyone at the 2024 Grammys by presenting the main category of the night, album of the year, won by Taylor Swift with “Midnights”. The singer had been diagnosed in December 2022 with a rare neurological disease called stiff-person syndrome, or Rigid Person Syndrome (SPR) and received a huge ovation from the audience.

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“Thank you all! I love you too”, said the Canadian before presenting the award. “You guys are beautiful. When I say I’m happy to be here, I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Those who were blessed enough to be here at the Grammys should never underestimate the tremendous love and joy that music brings to our lives and to people from all over the world.”

In December last year, Claudette, Céline’s sister who usually keeps fans updated on her health status, had said that the singer was “dedicated” and “working hard” to combat the symptoms and consequences of the condition, but the The future of his career remains uncertain. “In our dreams and hers, the idea is to return to the stage. In which state? I don’t know”, said the artist’s sister, who has been following the development of the syndrome since the beginning.

Celine Dion no Grammy 2024 — Photo: VALERIE MACON/AFP

One of the main symptoms of the disease are uncontrollable muscle spasms, which the singer has been suffering from for two years. In January 2022, she canceled her tour dates after suffering “severe and persistent” spasms. In December of the same year, she announced the diagnosis:

“I have been dealing with health issues for a long time and it has been very difficult for me to face these challenges… 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 singing like I’m used to”, said the singer, in a video on social media.

What is stiff person syndrome (SPR)?

First diagnosed in 1956, Stiff Person Syndrome (SPR) is a rare and incurable condition, but which can be treated, characterized by affecting the spine and brain, causing excessive stimulation in the muscles, causing muscle tension and stiffness. , in addition to painful spasms.

It is an extremely rare disease, estimated to affect around one to two people per million. The condition usually appears between 40 and 60 years of age, initially presenting as intermittent spasms that evolve, becoming continuous. Only about 5% of cases occur in childhood or adolescence.