Celebrated indie songwriter Sufjan Stevens says he has lost the ability to walk after being diagnosed with a rare auto-immune condition.
In a rare Instagram post, the musician said he was suffering from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves.
“Last month I woke up one morning and couldn’t walk,” he wrote.
“My hands, arms and legs were numb and tingling and I had no strength, no feeling, no mobility.”
The singer explained his brother drove him to hospital, where he was subjected to a barrage of tests, including MRIs, Cat Scans and a spinal tap, before doctors could diagnose his condition.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome is estimated to affect about one person in 100,000 each year, and while the causes are unknown, patients often develop the condition after an infection.
According to the NHS, most people recover within a year, but treatment can require several months in hospital.
Stevens said he had been in an acute rehabilitation facility since 8 September, and was undergoing “intensive physical therapy/occupational therapy, strength building etc. to get my body back in shape”.
“Most people who have GBS learn to walk again on their own within a year,” he added, “so I am hopeful.”
