Maritime woman shares details of her struggle with stiff person syndrome
One of the most successful singers of all time has exited the music stage.
Céline Dion, the award-winning singer best-known for her hit “My Heart Will Go On,” has gone public with her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome, which impacts one in every one million people.
Linda Cox heard the news last night.
“When they listed her symptoms, they listed mine,” said Cox from her home in Bear River, N.S.
Cox went home sick from work 25 years ago with stiffness in her right leg. It took four years before she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome.
Stiff person syndrome affects the brain and spinal cord and it can be triggered by loud sounds and bright lights.
“Spasms can get so bad they can break your bones --- a balloon bursting or a car horn blowing,” said Cox. “When I would go to outpatients, if the lady was going to vacuum, she would come tell me so I wouldn’t be startled when she turned it on.”
Those with stiff person syndrome live in fear of spasms.
“As a result, if they are walking across an open area, even though they may seem normally able to walk, if they hear a sound, the person may freeze up, fall over and hurt themselves,” said Dr. Andrew McKeon from the Mayo Clinic.
Cox has been forced to use a cane and sometimes a walker.
“I am scared to leave the house, to go outdoors,” said Cox. “I start to get tense.”
According to her son, Nick, the diagnosis has impacted his family's lifestyle.
“She was a very hands-on volunteer, always driving us to sports and band,” he said. “And then all of a sudden, it stopped. Someone who was always out in the community doing stuff for her boys couldn’t leave the house and was afraid to leave the house.”
Cox was saddened by the Céline Dion diagnosis. However, because of Dion’s fame, she said there is a possible upside to this recent diagnosis.
“I haven’t come across anyone who has heard of it,” said Cox. “Now people are going to hear of it.”
And that could lead to awareness, fundraising and maybe a cure.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.