Celine Dion, 55, looks captivated as she enjoys Katy Perry’s Vegas concert on a rare night out amid a battle with stiff person syndrome

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Celine Dion looked in good spirits as she watched Katy Perry perform one of her final residency concerts in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The singer, 55, sat in the VIP section next to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry as she enjoyed a rare outing amid her battle with Moersch-Woltman syndrome.

She announced last year that she had been diagnosed with the condition, also called Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological condition that causes people painful muscle cramps.

Celine had retreated from the spotlight as she focused on her health, but last week she made her first public appearance in three years as she watched the Montreal Canadiens hockey team take on the Vegas Golden Knights.

Celine took advantage of her time in Sin City and then took part in Katy’s residency show at Resorts World Theater.

Captivated: Celine Dion looked in good spirits as she watched Katy Perry perform one of her final residency concerts in Las Vegas on Sunday

Health concerns: Last year, Celine was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological condition that causes people painful muscle spasms

She looked effortlessly stylish for the show, wearing a black blazer over a leopard print dress and accessorizing with chunky gold jewelry.

Celine was forced to cancel her own shows while battling SPS, revealing she had to pull the plug on her Courage World Tour.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint you all again,” Celine wrote on Instagram on May 26. ‘I’m working very 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 the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m actually ready to get back on stage,” she continued.

“I want you all to know: I’m not giving up and I can’t wait to see you again!”

Her older sibling Claudette Dion, 74, has now said she is devastated and there is little she and the singer’s family can do to help her ‘strong’ sister or ‘ease her pain’.

Claudette told HELLO! Canada: ‘She is doing everything she can to recover. She is a strong woman. It is a disease we know so little about. There are spasms – they are impossible to control.

‘Do you know who people often jump up at night because of cramps in the leg or calf? It’s a bit like that, but in all muscles.

“There is little we can do to support her and ease her pain.”

Rubbing shoulders with royalty: The singer, 55, sat in the VIP section next to Meghan and Prince Harry as she enjoyed a rare outing amid her battle with Moersch-Woltman syndrome

Notable: Celine took advantage of her time in Sin City and took part in Katy’s residency show at Resorts World Theater

Glamorous: She looked effortlessly stylish for the show, wearing a black blazer over a leopard print dress and accessorizing with chunky gold jewelry

She added that mother-of-three Celine’s family is “crossing their fingers that researchers will find a cure for this terrible disease.”

Celine’s other sister Linda and her husband have moved to the singer’s Las Vegas home to care for her, and Claudette added, “It’s comforting for all of us (to have them around Celine.)”

Claudette previously revealed that despite working with “the best researchers in the field,” Grammy-winning Celine has seen little improvement in her health.

She told Le Journal de Montreal: “We can’t find any medicine that works, 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, she added: “I honestly think what she needs most of all is rest. She always goes above and beyond, she always tries to be the best and the best of her abilities. At some point your heart and body are trying to tell you something. It’s important to listen to it.’

Celine’s sons are also credited with helping their mother during her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.

René-Charles, Eddy and Nelson are ‘her source of support’ as she struggles with the rare neurological condition, a source says We weekly.

“Her children have been her rock… The twins are very mature for their age and René-Charles comes over all the time and adores his mother,” the insider said of the three boys, whose father is Celine’s late husband René Angelil is. , who died in 2016 at the age of 73 after being married for 22 years.

On stage: Celine was forced to cancel her own shows while battling SPS, revealing she had to pull the plug on her Courage World Tour (pictured in 2015)

In January 2020, she posted on Instagram the fourth anniversary of his death.

“Not a day goes by without me thinking about your beautiful smile,” she wrote. “We miss you, thank you for watching over us, my love. I love you. Celine xx.’

In September 2019, she further said Today that she wasn’t ready to date after losing her husband to throat cancer.

‘I don’t date. I’m not ready to date yet,” she admitted. ‘I’m very lucky and happy to have so many people around me who make me laugh.’

WHAT IS RIGID PERSON SYNDROME?

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare, progressive neurological disorder. Symptoms may include: Stiff muscles in the trunk (torso), arms and legs. Increased sensitivity to noise, touch and emotional distress, which he says can cause muscle spasms NIH.

Over time, people with SPS may develop hunched postures. Some people may be too disabled to walk or exercise. Many often fall because they do not have the normal reflexes to catch themselves. This can lead to serious injuries. People with SPS may be afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a car horn, can cause cramps and falls.

Who is more likely to have 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 is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord.

How is rigid person syndrome diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis of SPS

SPS is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic diseases, or anxiety and phobia. A definitive diagnosis can be made with a blood test that measures the level 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 seen 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 spinal fluid.

Treating SPS

With proper treatment, SPS symptoms can be controlled. Several symptoms improve with oral diazepam (an anti-anxiety drug and muscle relaxant) or with drugs 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) is effective in reducing stiffness, sensitivity to sound, touch and stress and improving gait and balance in people with SPS. IVIg contains immunoglobulins (natural antibodies produced by the immune system) sourced from thousands of healthy donors.

JUDICIAL NIH INFORMATION