At the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, legendary Canada singer Celine · Dion took the stage to sing the classic France song "Hymne à l'Amour" as the main axis of the opening ceremony.
This is not only her first public appearance and performance after publicly disclosing that she has a rare neurological disorder - stiff person syndrome.
Faced with this diagnosis, Celine · Dion showed great courage and strength, and she fought unrelentingly against this predicament. Her comeback journey was not easy, full of challenges and difficulties.
Despite some minor problems and conditions at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, Celine's performance was almost perfect, receiving praise from audiences and critics alike.
What is stiff person syndrome?
Stiff person syndrome is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system characterized by progressive, fluctuating stiffness and paroxysmal spasms of the trunk and limb muscles.
As a very rare neurological disorder, only a very small percentage of people per million people may develop stiff-person syndrome. Women are 2 to 3 times more likely to develop the disease than men. Although the disease affects muscles, tendons, and nerves, there are usually no noticeable signs or symptoms on the outside.
It usually presents with muscle cramps, especially in response to emotional or motor stimuli.
(Documentary "This Is Me, Celine · Dion")
Positive reactions to anti-glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies are usually detectable in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, while electromyography shows sustained motor unit activity in the agonist and antagonist muscles at rest.
Stiff person syndrome is characterized by a chronic, fluctuating course in which patients may experience bouts of soreness and tightness in the trunk muscles, followed by persistent muscle stiffness, particularly in the trunk and limb areas.
These stiff muscles may trigger cramps when suddenly stimulated and may relax during sleep.
In addition, stiff-person syndrome may also be accompanied by symptoms such as paroxysmal muscle soreness, muscle cramp pain, and in severe cases, it may even lead to muscle tears or fractures. In addition to the above symptoms, patients may also experience other problems such as difficulty swallowing or emotional disturbances.
(Documentary "This Is Me, Celine · Dion")
It's the performance that counts, not the song, and a performance is far more important than a song
From 2008 onwards, Celine · Dion began to show the first signs of stiff person syndrome.
It is a rare and difficult to diagnose condition that causes the patient's muscles to become stiff and triggers violent spasms, and there is currently no cure.
As her condition worsened, Celine found herself no longer able to perform as flawlessly at concerts as she used to. In order to control the involuntary movement of her vocal cords, she had to take a lot of medication.
(Documentary "This Is Me, Celine · Dion")
At the end of the documentary, Celine · Dion firmly expresses her love for music and performance and her indomitable spirit.
"I always believed that I could continue to sing and dance, and that I would find many ways to cope with difficulties," she said. Even if one day I can't run anymore, I can still walk; If I can't even walk, I'll crawl. But no matter what, I'm not going to stop. ”
These words show her unparalleled determination and perseverance, as well as her positive attitude to life, and she is ready to stay the course, both on stage and in the face of health challenges.
(Documentary "This Is Me, Celine · Dion")
In the face of these major challenges, Celine · Dion showed extraordinary courage and perseverance, and finally she successfully performed at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Her performance not only showcased the Olympic spirit, but also moved audiences around the world, so some people considered her the first "winner" at that Olympics.
#席琳· Dion sang at the finale of the opening ceremony#