Celine Dion cancels entire world tour while continuing stiff person syndrome recovery
Celine Dion's world tour is making a hard stop as the singer continues to recover and build back her health.
The "My Heart Will Go On" singer announced Friday on Instagram that she will be canceling her Courage World Tour.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%," she wrote. "It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and 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."
In December Dion revealed she'd been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a neurological disorder with symptoms that have been causing her to have severe muscle spasms which has also affected her vocal cords.
"I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again,” she continued in her tour cancelation announcement.
Celine Dion's diagnosis: Celine Dion says she has stiff person syndrome, cancels and reschedules 2023 tour dates
When Dion announced her diagnosis she said the Europe portion of her tour wouldn't be able to restart in February 2023 and spring dates were to be pushed back to 2024, while the shows she had scheduled for the summer have been canceled.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, which shuttered concerts throughout 2020 and 2021, Dion performed 52 show North American leg of her Courage World Tour in North America before coming to a pause in March 2020. January 2022, she canceled the rest of the postponed North American shows due to her medical condition.
According to her Friday announcement, the 42 remaining shows across Europe that have been canceled will be refunded to ticket buyers.
More: Celine Dion cancels North American tour to recover from 'severe and persistent muscle spasms'
Stiff person syndrome, or SPS, is a disease that causes "progressive muscle stiffness and painful spasms" that are triggered by environmental factors such as "sudden movement, cold temperature or unexpected loud noises," according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
What is stiff person syndrome: More on Céline Dion's rare neurological disorder.
The disease is considered to be rare and only affects approximately one in a million people.
"The 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," Dion said in December. "I have to admit it's been a struggle. All I know is singing, it's what I've done all my life."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celine Dion cancels Courage World Tour, continues health recovery
