Celine Dion looks happy and fit as she shares rare update amid illness

Photo: Celine Dion/Getty Images

Celine Dion appeared happy and in good health in her latest Instagram post, where she wished her followers a happy Thanksgiving, as she continues her battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS).

"Dear friends. Today is a beautiful reminder to slow down, take a deep breath, and give thanks," she said in the video released Thursday, looking directly into the camera.

"There's something so powerful about gathering with the people you love, whether it's around a full table, on the phone, or even just in your heart."

She added:

"I am so grateful for my family and our moments together that mean the world to me."

Dion made her diagnosis public in December 2022, when she announced the postponement or cancellation of several concerts she had planned.

"I've had health issues for a long time, and it's been very difficult for me to face these challenges and talk about everything I'm going through," she said in an emotional video posted on social media at the time.

"I was recently diagnosed with a very rare neurological syndrome, which affects about one in a million people," she explained, emphasizing that it was this disorder that was causing all the 'spasms' she had been experiencing.

SPS causes stiffness and spasms in the limbs of the body. Over time, the muscles in the legs become stiff, and then other muscles are affected, including the arms and face.

In June 2024, the singer spoke more openly about her battle during an interview with Hoda Kotb, where she revealed how difficult it had become to sing.

“It’s like someone is choking you,” the Grammy winner said. “It’s like someone is pushing down on your larynx/pharynx like this.”

Due to the diagnosis, Dion also canceled all remaining dates of her tour.