Celine Dion含羞草研究社檚 sister says the Grammy Award-winning singer is facing further challenges as she continues to live with a rare neurological disorder.

Claudette Dion said in a new interview that her sister is focused on overcoming her illness, called stiff person syndrome, but that progress has been difficult.

含羞草研究社淪he is working hard, but she does not have control of her muscles,含羞草研究社� the elder sister told Quebec news outlet 7 Jours in an interview translated from French.

含羞草研究社淰ocal cords are muscles, and the heart is also a muscle. That is what really hits me.含羞草研究社�

She said the illness affects an estimated one out of a million people and is not yet well understood by current medical science.

Representatives for the Quebec-born songstress did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 55-year-old announced last December that she had been diagnosed with the rare neurological disorder which leads to muscle rigidity and spasms that can be very painful.

The spasms can cause people to fall and put them at risk of injury. If the thoracic muscles are affected, people can have difficulty breathing.

Dion was determined to persevere, first delaying a block of dates on her 含羞草研究社淐ourage含羞草研究社� world tour, but by last May, she was forced to cancel the remaining dates through April 2024.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 not giving up含羞草研究社� and I can含羞草研究社檛 wait to see you again,含羞草研究社� she said in May.

Her 75-year-old sister said fans of the 含羞草研究社淢y Heart Will Go On含羞草研究社� singer continue to send messages of support through the Fondation Maman Dion, the charity created in their mother含羞草研究社檚 name to support grade schoolchildren.

含羞草研究社淧eople tell us they love her and they are praying for her,含羞草研究社� she said.

含羞草研究社淪he is receiving so many messages, gifts, blessed crucifixes.含羞草研究社�

She added: 含羞草研究社淲hat pains me is that she has always been disciplined. She has always worked hard.

含羞草研究社淢aman always told her: 含羞草研究社榊ou are going to do it well, you are going to do it properly.含羞草研究社� Definitely, in our dream and in hers, the idea is to return to stage. In what state? I don含羞草研究社檛 know.含羞草研究社�

Dion含羞草研究社檚 sister, who is also a well-known Quebec singer, has offered updates on her condition in recent months, including one to Hello! Canada over the summer where she said the spasms 含羞草研究社渁re impossible to control.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 little we can do to support her, to alleviate her pain,含羞草研究社� she told the publication.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙e crossing our fingers that researchers will find a remedy for this awful illness.含羞草研究社�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2023.

David Friend, The Canadian Press