New Delhi: American singer Carly Simon has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, she shared in a statement. Known for hits such as ‘You’re So Vain’, ‘Nobody Does It Better’, and ‘Mockingbird’, the singer-songwriter is a prominent face of pop and soft rock music from the 1970s and 1980s.
“So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease,” Simon said in a statement on Monday.
The 83-year-old singer, who released a new track ‘Howl’ last month, had undergone a hip replacement surgery and surgeries for replacing both her knees after being diagnosed with arthritis. But, as her mobility continued to decline, she knew “something more was going on.”
“It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly,” Simon’s statement said. “Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself.”
Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder where the cells that produce dopamine, a key chemical messenger in the nervous system, begin to deteriorate and die. The symptoms begin with a barely noticeable tremor and worsen over time, causing stiffness, slowing of movement, and trouble with balance. The disorder can’t be cured, but medicine and some surgeries can help manage the symptoms.
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, the disease affects more than 1.1 million people in the US. Nearly 90,000 Americans are newly diagnosed each year.
‘Music shaped my days’
Simon shared that she has also undergone treatment for skin cancer. While the cancer was removed through surgery, the procedure on her face affected her appearance. It made her more self-conscious about being seen in public, she added.
During her battle with sickness, Simon said music has been a salve.
“Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape. It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room… It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life,” she wrote.
Simon’s new album, Comes in Waves, her first collection of original songs since 2008, comes out on 14 August.