Los Angeles [US], July 27 : Singer-songwriter Carly Simon has revealed that she has been living with Parkinson's disease, sharing that the diagnosis has changed her life but not her determination to continue creating music, according to Variety.
In a statement shared publicly, the 83-year-old Grammy-winning artist said she had remained relatively quiet in recent years because she had been learning to live with the neurological disorder.
"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 said.
She explained that Parkinson's affects her differently from day to day, with some days leaving her too exhausted to begin ordinary activities, while others allow her to move, think and work more freely, according to Variety
Simon said doctors diagnosed her with Parkinson's after her mobility continued to worsen despite knee and hip replacement surgeries. Following an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, she learned that the condition was responsible for her increasing difficulty in walking.
The singer also revealed that she has faced anxiety, depression, exhaustion and apathy alongside the physical symptoms of the disease. She described those emotional challenges as some of the hardest aspects of living with Parkinson's.
In addition, Simon disclosed that she underwent surgery for basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, while receiving treatment for Parkinson's. Although the cancer was successfully removed, she said the procedure affected her appearance and made her more self-conscious about being seen in public.
Despite the health setbacks, Simon emphasized that she has continued writing music and has completed a new album titled "Comes in Waves," her first full-length studio album since 2008, according to Variety
"Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life," she said.
Simon stressed that while she does not see Parkinson's as "a gift or a blessing," she is learning to live with it without letting it define her, according to Variety
"I have not stopped living and I have not stopped working," she wrote, concluding her statement with a message of resilience: "These days I move more slowly, I lean on others more than I once did... But I am still very much here," as per the outlet.