Celine Dion’s sister says ‘There’s Little We Can Do’ to ‘alleviate’ singer’s pain

“There’s little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain,” Claudette Dion continued, according to Variety. “We’re crossing our fingers that researchers will find a remedy for this awful illness.”

The illness forced Dion, 55, to stop performing and has led her to stay out of the public eye, the Los Angeles Times reported.

“There are spasms — they’re impossible to control,” Claudette Dion said, according to the LA Times. “You know people who often jump up in the night because of a cramp in the leg or the calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles. There’s little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain.”

[ Celine Dion cancels 2022 North American tour over health concerns ]

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says that Stiff-Person Syndrome is “a progressive disorder that affects the brain and the spinal cord,” according to Variety. Symptoms include rigidity or spasms. This can affect the entire body, muscle enlargement and could make walking or moving difficult. There is reportedly no cure.

“We’re crossing our fingers that researchers will find a remedy for this awful illness,” Claudette Dion said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Dion revealed she was diagnosed with the disorder in December 2022, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having,” Dion said in a video posted on Instagram last winter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.