Celine Dion Foundation Pledges $2 Million to Establish ‘Celine Dion Foundation Endowed Chair in Autoimmune Neurology’

Photo Credit: Anirudh Koul / CC by 2.0

The Celine Dion Foundation pledges $2 million for the Celine Dion Foundation Endowed Chair in Autoimmune Neurology to bolster education and research.At the premiere of Celine Dion’s forthcoming documentary, “I AM: Celine Dion,” which debuts later this month, the Celine Dion Foundation announced a pledge of $2 million to establish the Celine Dion Foundation Endowed Chair in Autoimmune Neurology. Amanda Piquet, MD, FAAN, director of the Autoimmune Neurology Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus will be the inaugural chair holder.

Autoimmune Neurology is a rapidly developing subspecialty focused on the study of neurologic, psychiatric, and oncologic disorders associated with the central and peripheral nervous system. The Autoimmune Neurology Program’s mission is to provide the best neurological care and improve the quality of life for every patient with an autoimmune neurological disorder, while effectively integrating education and research into the clinical experience.

Resources from this fund will bolster Dr. Piquet’s focus on translational studies, a foundational component of her research program that emphasizes learning in real time from patients as they experience and recover from symptoms to fine-tune treatment for improved outcomes. Additional resources from this fund will provide financial support for students, research expenditures, participation in conferences, curriculum development, and other initiatives prioritized by the chair holder.“This meaningful gift to support autoimmune neurology has been made possible thanks to the generosity of the Celine Dion Foundation, the exceptional care provided by Dr. Piquet and the partnership of Sarah Kabat at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital,” reads a statement from the University of Colorado Anschutz. “We offer our congratulations to all involved for what this gift will make possible.”

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education, and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, over 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals.

Celine Dion was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological condition that is only on the cusp of being understood. The funds will allow further research into this and other neurological conditions and their treatment.