Celine Dion doing ‘physical therapy every day’ in hopes of a return to the stage amid incurable stiff-person syndrome: ‘She’s a fighter’

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

Celine Dion’s fight to the return to the stage will go on. 

The hitmaker, 55, who has lost control of her muscles due to stiff-person syndrome, according to her sister, is working hard to overcome her condition, according to sources.

‘Celine is a fighter,’ an insider told  US Weekly. ‘She doesn’t have as much control over her muscles as she did before, but she’s working with doctors and physical therapists to get better.’

The source claimed, ‘Celine has been taking time to focus on her health but plans to take the stage again once she is given the go-ahead by her medical team.’

A second person in the know backs up those assertions. 

‘She’s staying positive and upbeat and doing her physical therapy every day,’ the insider said.

‘Getting back on stage in some form is her constant dream, even if she can no longer sing; she just wants to see those shining faces.’

Stiff-person syndrome is a ‘rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time,’ according to John Hopkins Medicine. 

The Grammy winner was last seen at a hockey game in Las Vegas with her twins Eddy and Nelson, 13 and oldest son Charles-Rene, 22, watching the Montreal Canadiens lose to the Golden Knights. 

Celine shared her sons with late husband Rene Angelil. 

‘My boys and I had such a fun time visiting with the Montreal Canadiens after their hockey game with Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas Monday night,’ the My Heart Will Go On singer posted November 1.

‘They played so well, what a game!! Thank you for meeting us after the game, guys! That was memorable for all of us. Have a great season! – Celine xx… ‘

Although she won’t be releasing any new music in the near future, Celine and her team have made sure to keep her fans apprised of the 25th anniversary of her holiday album, These Are Special Times.

‘In 1998, after releasing the critically acclaimed albums Falling Into You, Let’s Talk About Love and S’il suffisait d’aimer, Celine gave us her own precious gift for the holidays, These Are Special Times,’ her team wrote on social media

‘This beloved holiday album includes classics such as O Holy Night, Happy Xmas (War is Over), and The Prayer, a beautiful duet with Andrea Bocelli.’

‘And now, 25 years later, These Are Special Times remains one of the best-selling holiday albums of all time.’

Some 12 million copies have been sold of the LP. 

The Power of Love artist announced last December that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome and would be stepping away from performing. 

STIFF-PERSON SYNDROME: INCURABLE NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION THAT LOCKS THE BODY

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

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

The progressive disease sees patients’ stiffness increase over time and can lead to them needing to use a wheelchair. 

There tend to be 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.

Experts do not know exactly what is behind the disease. 

But they believe it may be caused by an autoimmune reaction, when the body attacks its own nerve cells that control muscle movement.

Around 40 per cent of sufferers also have type 1 diabetes, another autoimmune disease. Type 1 diabetes is particularly associated with classical person syndrome.

Other autoimmune conditions like vitiligo, which causes white patches of skin, and pernicious anemia are likewise associated with it.

It is also more common in people with breast, lung, kidney, thyroid or colon cancer, as well as lymphomas, but researchers do not yet know why. 

In stiff person syndrome, the immune system attacks a protein that helps make gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which regulate motor neurons — the nerves that control movement.

Low levels of GABA cause the neurons to continuously fire when they are not supposed to, resulting in the spasms and rigidity. 

What are its symptoms? 

The main symptoms caused by stiff person syndrome are spasms and rigidity of the torso and limbs.

Spasms can be triggered by loud noises, with the condition also causing heightened sensitivity to sound.

Touch and emotional distress can also be felt more intensely as a result of the condition.

The spasms can be so severe they cause people to fall over or lead to difficulty walking and other disability.

Stress and anxiety are also usually higher in those with the condition, particularly because of the unpredictability of spasms.

The lack of GABA — which regulates anxiety — in their system also affects mental health. 

‘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,’ she said in an emotional video.

Although she initially postponed her Courage World Tour until the spring of 2024, the Golden Globe winner made the decision to cancel it in May.

‘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,’ she told her loyal fans.

The determined artist appears to have kept her promise she made earlier this year to keep working on her health. ‘I want you all to know, I’m not giving up … and I can’t wait to see you again!’ she said at the time.