Céline Dion donates two million dollars to a doctor
The singer Céline Dion is not only committed to raising awareness about her illness, Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS), through her documentary "I Am: Céline Dion," but has also donated two million US dollars (approximately 1.9 Mio. Euro) to the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado. This money will go towards researching the rare condition that Céline Dion herself suffers from. "I feel incredibly honored to receive this recognition to advance this field," said Dr. Amanda Piquet in an interview with CBC News. She added that the condition is little known and difficult to diagnose.
Diagnostic Journey Lasts a Decade
On average, it takes seven years to diagnose that someone has SPS. Céline Dion's diagnostic journey lasted over a decade before she met Dr. Amanda Piquet two years ago. "She stumbled upon us, and it was an amazing relationship, and we really worked hard with her to treat her symptoms and put her on the right treatment path," said the doctor about her famous patient. She uses a combination of various treatments for SPS, from immunotherapies to massages. For the 56-year-old singer, a vocal therapy was also added to the treatment.
Céline Dion is not only involved in fighting SPS through a donation. She sees the documentary "I Am: Céline Dion" as a means of raising awareness about her little-known condition. The documentary, which was recently released on Amazon, provides an unsparing look into Dion's life with SPS. A muscle spasm attack is shown in full length, during which the singer lies writhing on the floor for almost ten minutes.
Céline Dion's documentary "I Am: Céline Dion" serves as a platform for not only showcasing her personal battle with SPS but also educating the public about the lesser-known symptoms and challenges associated with the condition. Despite the physical discomfort and lengthy diagnostic journey, the renowned singer remains dedicated to using her platform for Music and Entertainment to spread awareness about Illness.
