Celine Dion made a rare appearance at a hockey game in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday night as she continues to battle stiff person syndrome.
The superstar Titanic singer, 55, was seen in public for the first time in three and a half years as the Montreal Canadiens took on the Vegas Golden Knights.
In footage posted online, Celine appeared to be in high spirits as she greeted players and fans in the locker rooms after the game.
“A great visit to our game yesterday in Las Vegas,” Montreal vice-president of hockey communications Chantal Machabée wrote alongside a clip posted to her Instagram. “Thank you, Celine Dion, for your generosity.” “The entire team was delighted to meet you and your family.”
Celine was accompanied by her sons René-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy, and the family posed with some of the athletes after the game.
Rare appearance: Celine Dion made a rare appearance at a hockey game in Las Vegas on Monday night while battling stiff person syndrome
Spotted: The 55-year-old superstar was spotted in public for the first time in three and a half years as she greeted fans after watching the Montreal Canadiens game against the Vegas Golden Knights
She looks in good spirits: Chantal Machabée, Montreal’s vice-president of hockey communications, shared a video on her Instagram of the legendary singer in great spirits while hugging Machabee
“It’s a great honor to meet you,” Celine said in French to coach Martin St. Louis in another video. “It was an incredible night.”
She was also heard giving advice to the hockey players: “Just stay healthy and strong.” “Do what you do best.”
The Grammy winner has kept a low profile since announcing that she was diagnosed with Moersch-Woltman syndrome in 2022.
The condition, also called Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), is a rare neurological disorder that causes painful muscle spasms.
She announced her diagnosis in December, which forced her to cancel her “Courage World Tour” five months ago.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint you all again,” Celine wrote on Instagram on May 26. “I’m working really hard to get my strength back, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re at 100%.”‘
“It’s not fair to you to keep postponing shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best if we cancel everything now until I’m truly ready to be on stage again,” continued them away.
“I want you all to know that I’m not giving up and I can’t wait to see you again!”
Her older sister Claudette Dion, 74, has now said she is devastated and it appears there is little she and the singer’s family can do to help her “strong” sister or “ease her pain”.
Claudette said HELLO! Canada: “She is doing everything she can to recover.” She is a strong woman.
“It’s a disease we know so little about.” There are cramps – they can’t be controlled.
“Do you know who often jumps up at night because of a cramp in their leg or calf? It’s a little like that, but in all muscles.
“There is little we can do to support them and ease their pain.”
She added that mother-of-three Celine’s family “keeps our fingers crossed that researchers find a cure for this terrible disease.”
Great visit: “A great visit to our game yesterday in Vegas,” Machabée wrote alongside the snaps. “Thank you, Celine Dion, for your generosity.” “The entire team was delighted to meet you and your family.”
Family affair: Celine was accompanied by her sons René-Charles and twins Nelson and Eddy, and the family posed with some of the athletes after the game
The Grammy winner has kept a low profile since announcing that she was diagnosed with Moersch-Woltman syndrome in 2022
Disease: The disease, also called Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), is a rare neurological disorder that causes painful muscle spasms
Stiff person syndrome is a rare, progressive neurological disorder that can cause stiff muscles in the trunk, arms and legs – affecting about one in a million people.
Celine’s other sister Linda and her husband have moved into the singer’s Las Vegas home to care for her, and Claudette added: “It’s comforting (to have her close to Celine) for all of us.”
Claudette has previously revealed that Grammy winner Celine has seen little improvement in her health despite working with “the best researchers in the field”.
Reveal: She announced her diagnosis in December, forcing her to cancel her Courage World Tour, and her older sister Claudette Dion, 74, has now said she is devastated as she and the singer’s family seem to have little could do about it Help her “strong” sister or “ease her pain”
Fight: Claudette said HELLO! Canada: “She is doing everything she can to recover.” She is a strong woman. “It’s a disease we know so little about.” There are cramps – they can’t be controlled
She told Le Journal de Montreal: “We can’t find drugs that work, but having hope is important.”
Claudette said Celine’s cancellation of her “Courage” tour was a necessary step for her chances of rehabilitation.
About the singer, whose music producer husband René Angélil (73) died in 2016 after 22 years of marriage, she added: “I honestly think she mostly needs rest. She always goes above and beyond, she always tries to be the best and best at her game. At some point your heart and body are trying to tell you something. It’s important to listen to him.”
WHAT IS STIFF PERSON SYNDROME?
Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare, progressive neurological disorder. Symptoms may include: Stiff muscles in the trunk (torso), arms, and legs. According to the NIH, there is greater sensitivity to noise, touch and emotional stress, which can trigger muscle spasms.
Over time, people with SPS may develop a hunched posture. Some people may be too disabled to walk or move. Many people fall frequently because they lack the normal reflexes to catch themselves. This can result in serious injury. People with SPS may be afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a car horn, can trigger convulsions and falls.
Who is more likely to get stiff person syndrome?
SPS affects twice as many women as men.
It is often associated with other autoimmune diseases such as type I diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo and pernicious anemia.
Scientists don’t yet understand what causes SPS, but research suggests it’s the result of a faulty autoimmune response in the brain and spinal cord.
How is Stiff Person Syndrome Diagnosed and Treated?
Diagnose PLC
SPS is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness or anxiety and phobia. A definitive diagnosis can be made with a blood test that measures levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies.
Most people with SPS have elevated (higher) levels of GAD antibodies. Antibody titers are important for the diagnosis of SPS. A titer is a laboratory test that measures the presence and amount of antibodies in the blood. Elevated GAD titers, up to 10 times above normal, are also observed in diabetes, but in SPS the titers are very high (at least 10 times above the range seen in diabetes) or are present in the cerebrospinal fluid.
Treatment of SPS
With appropriate treatment, SPS symptoms can be kept under control. Several symptoms improve with oral diazepam (an antianxiety and muscle relaxant medication) or with medications that relieve muscle spasms, such as baclofen or gabapentin.
A study funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) showed that treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) was effective in reducing stiffness, sensitivity to noise, touch, and stress, and improving gait and balance in people with SPS. IVIg contains immunoglobulins (natural antibodies produced by the immune system) derived from thousands of healthy donors.
INFORMATION COURT NIH