Celine Dion has pledged $2 million to the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to support research on Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare and progressive neurological disorder that forced the 56-year-old singer to halt her performances following her diagnosis in 2022.
Dion, who has been under the care of Dr. Amanda Piquet, a director of Autoimmune Neurology at CU Anschutz, made the significant donation to aid in the search for a cure.
Dr. Piquet expressed her gratitude, stating, “I am just incredibly honored to receive this recognition to move the field forward with this research.”
“SPS is characterized by severe muscle spasms and stiffness, and currently, there are no FDA-approved treatments for the disease.”
“Management typically involves immune therapies, symptomatic treatments, and supportive therapies such as physical, massage, and in Dion’s case, vocal therapy.”
Dion’s battle with SPS has been highlighted in her recent documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, which includes footage of her experiencing a 10-minute seizure due to the disorder.
The documentary aims to raise awareness about SPS, a condition that often goes unrecognized.
Reflecting on her journey, Dion said, “This last couple of years has been such a challenge for me, the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me.”
“During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.”
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