$2 million donated by Céline Dion to Hospital Researching Rare Stiff-Person Syndrome.

While facing the uncommon illness, Céline Dion has contributed $2 million to aid in the search for a cure for stiff-person syndrome.

The 56-year-old Canadian singer is receiving treatment for a rare disease from Dr. Amanda Piquet at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, thanks to her large gift.

"I am just incredibly honoured to receive this recognition to move the field forward with this research," Dr. Piquet, the director of Autoimmune Neurology at CU Anschutz, stated in a CBS News interview.

She described stiff person syndrome as a progressive autoimmune neurological illness with two hallmark symptoms: stiffness and muscle spasms.

She also remembered how she got to know Dion. "She happened to find us, and it was a great relationship, and we worked really hard with her managing those symptoms, getting her on a good treatment pathway," Dr. Piquet stated.

"There are no FDA-approved therapies for this disease. We often use immune therapies, and symptomatic therapies to manage the disease. We will also do things like physical therapy, massage therapy, and in Celine's case vocal therapy to help manage the symptoms," she continued.

At the international premiere of her new documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, Dion had previously lauded Dr. Piquet. "She has replaced my fear with hope," she remarked.

The "My Heart Will Go On" singer talked about her experience living with the illness in the documentary, which also featured video from a seizure she had for ten minutes.

After "dealing with problems with my health for a long time," she revealed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with SPS. She wrote, "It has been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I've been going through."

"Recently, I've been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff person syndrome, which affects one in a million people.

"While we're still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what's been causing all the spasms I've been having,' she continued.

'Unfortunately, these spasms influence every area of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulty when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to,' said Dion in reference to the disease.

Dion gave an explanation this month of why, after 17 years, she chose to disclose her diagnosis. "Lying for me The burden was too much," she stated on Today.

"Lying to the people who got me to where I am today, I could not do it anymore," Dion continued. "I could not do this anymore."