Carly Simon reveals Parkinson’s disease and cancer diagnosis at 83
Singer Carly Simon has revealed that she has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has also received treatment for cancer.
The 83-year-old singer, who is famous for hits including You’re So Vain, said her recent absence from public life has been because of her health problems.
Simon explained that she needed time to understand her diagnosis and decide whether she wanted to speak publicly about what she was going through.
Carly Simon Speaks About Her Parkinson’s Diagnosis
In a statement, Simon explained why she had been away from the public eye.
“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.
“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 also explained that Parkinson’s disease does not affect everyone in the same way.
“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 condition that affects the brain. Over time, parts of the brain become damaged, which can lead to problems with movement and other parts of daily life.
According to Parkinson’s UK, around 166,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The charity expects the number to rise to about 173,000 by 2030 as the population grows and more people live to older ages.
Health Problems Started With Arthritis
Simon, who lives on a 25-acre estate on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, said her health problems began with arthritis in both of her knees and one of her hips.
She eventually had surgery to replace all three joints.
The singer described the replacement joints as “delicate bouquets of metal and plastic”.
After having three joint replacement surgeries, Simon thought her problems with walking were simply part of the recovery process.
The Grammy-winning musician said she believed her difficulty walking was “simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process”.
However, her movement problems did not improve as she expected.
Instead, her ability to move became worse over time.
She began having difficulty standing up from low chairs and deep couches without help from another person.
Simon said that even sitting on some types of furniture became difficult for her.
Difficulty Walking Led to Further Tests
Simon described how her condition gradually affected her everyday life.
“I had trouble standing up from low chairs and deep couches without someone offering me an arm. Overstuffed furniture became my enemy. Once seated, I could feel as though I had been swallowed by the chair and might remain there permanently, like a guest who had badly overstayed her welcome.
“Eventually, there were periods when I could not walk without considerable help. My family and I knew that something more was going on. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”
After receiving her diagnosis, Simon began treatment.
She said she has been taking medication to help control stiffness and other symptoms connected to the disease.
However, Parkinson’s has affected more than just her physical movement.
Simon also spoke about the effect the condition has had on her energy and motivation.
Simon Describes the Effects of Parkinson’s
The singer said that one of the unusual parts of living with Parkinson’s is the feeling of apathy, which can make it difficult to feel motivated to do things.
Describing the experience, she said the “apathy is particularly strange”.
She explained:
“You can find yourself lying there like a starfish drying in the sun, arms pointing in all directions, while nothing inside is telling you to get up, read, watch, write, sing, call someone, or do much of anything at all.”
Despite these challenges, Simon said she has continued to work and has not allowed the condition to completely stop her from being creative.
Carly Simon Also Received Cancer Treatment
In addition to her Parkinson’s diagnosis, Simon revealed that she also received treatment for basal cell carcinoma.
Basal cell carcinoma is a common type of skin cancer that begins in the top layer of the skin.
Simon said the cancer was on her face and was removed through surgery.
However, she said the operation changed her appearance and made her feel more uncomfortable about being seen in public.
Simon explained that she has always been very critical of the way she looks, and the changes caused by the surgery made those feelings stronger.
“I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine (check out the irony of having written You’re So Vain), and this gave my inner critic quite a lot of new material.”
The singer said that dealing with her mobility problems, her Parkinson’s diagnosis, surgery and the emotional impact of everything that had happened caused her to step away from public life.
Ms Simon, who is also a children’s author, said that “between my mobility issues, the Parkinson’s diagnosis, the surgery, and the emotional effects of it all, withdrawing from public view was the most palatable reaction”.
She Continues to Make Music
Although Simon has faced several serious health challenges, she said she has continued working.
In the middle of everything she was experiencing, she began recording a new album called Comes in Waves.
The album will be her first new album in almost 15 years.
Simon said that although living with Parkinson’s has been difficult, she is continuing to live her life and remain involved in music and other creative activities.
“I do not consider Parkinson’s a gift or a blessing. It is neither. It is difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening. I am still learning how to live with it and how to accept it without feeling that I have surrendered something essential.
“I am still writing, singing, imagining, laughing, worrying, remembering, and occasionally getting trapped in an overstuffed chair.
“I am deeply grateful to my children, my family, my friends, my caregivers, and the medical professionals who have helped me through this. Their love and patience have carried me through days when my own reserves were not enough.”
Simon’s Family
Carly Simon has two children, Sally and Ben Taylor.
They are aged 52 and 49 and are from her relationship with her first husband, singer-songwriter James Taylor.
The couple were married in 1972 and divorced in 1983.
Simon has continued to have a long career in music, while also working as a children’s author.
Her family, friends, caregivers and medical professionals have played an important role in helping her deal with her health challenges.
A Long and Successful Music Career
Carly Simon first became well known in the 1960s before becoming an international star during the 1970s.
She achieved major success with songs such as Anticipation and Nobody Does It Better.
The latter was the theme song for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
However, one of Simon’s most famous songs remains You’re So Vain.
The song appeared on her third album, No Secrets, and became a major hit.
The song is about a man who is seen as being extremely self-centred and believes that everything is about him.
For many years, fans wondered who Simon was singing about.
Simon eventually revealed that the song was about three different men.
One of the men she named was Hollywood actor Warren Beatty.
The mystery surrounding the song has helped it remain one of Simon’s most famous works.
New Album Coming Soon
Despite the health problems she has faced, Simon has continued to write, sing and create music.
Her new album, Comes In Waves, is scheduled to be released on 14 August.
The album will mark her first new album in almost 15 years.
Simon has now chosen to speak openly about her health journey after spending time away from the public.
Her story highlights the challenges she has faced while living with Parkinson’s disease, undergoing cancer treatment and dealing with changes to her mobility.
At the same time, she has continued to focus on the things that remain important to her, including music, family, friends and creativity.
While she said Parkinson’s disease is difficult and sometimes frightening, Simon has made it clear that she is still working to live her life on her own terms.
