Lauren McDermott has a rare neurological condition called Stiff Person Syndrome that causes her muscles to spasm painfully for prolonged periods. Since she was diagnosed in 2019, she's had to explain her illness to almost everyone — even many of the doctors who evaluated her. It's an exhausting process that adds a layer of difficulty to her disability.
But the syndrome just got a lot of publicity.
On Thursday, Canadian pop icon Celine Dion announced she is postponing her tour because she was diagnosed with the syndrome. In Instagram videos, one in English and one in French, a visibly emotional Dion said that she has been struggling with her health for a long time. She's been having muscle spasms and pain, which her care team recently attributed to Stiff Person Syndrome.
