Overview
- Simon disclosed on July 27 that after an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has begun medication and supportive care to manage symptoms.
- Her mobility problems began with arthritis that led to three joint replacements but continued to worsen until she needed considerable help walking, prompting the specialist evaluation.
- Around the time of the Parkinson’s diagnosis she had basal cell carcinoma removed from her face, and she says the surgery affected her appearance and increased her reluctance to appear in public.
- She described non-motor effects of Parkinson’s such as apathy, anxiety, depression and exhaustion that have altered daily life and led her to rely more on family and caregivers.
- Despite the health news, Simon says she has kept working and will release Comes in Waves on August 14, and her statement frames music as a sustaining force even as she adjusts to a progressive illness that has no cure.