Singer-songwriter Carly Simon, 83, has revealed she has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and was treated for basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Simon shared her health updates in a statement to People, explaining that she has been learning to live with the neurodegenerative disease.
"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," Simon said. She noted that the cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgery affected her appearance, making her more self-conscious in public.
Parkinson's disease, which has no cure, can cause muscle stiffness, impaired speech, and uncontrolled movement. The Mayo Clinic states the disease can manifest as a hand tremor.
Simon, known for hits like “That’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be,” “Nobody Does It Better,” and the iconic “You’re So Vain,” stated that she chose to withdraw from public life due to her health challenges. "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 explained.
Despite her health battles, Simon has found solace in her music. She is set to release "Comes In Waves," her first studio album in 17 years, next month. "Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape," she said. "It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room. It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life."
Simon, a breast cancer survivor who underwent treatment in 1997, has maintained a low public profile in recent years. Her last live performance was in March 2018. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 but did not attend the ceremony following the deaths of her sisters.
She expressed gratitude for her caregivers, family, and her children, Ben and Sally Taylor, whom she shares with ex-husband James Taylor. "I do not consider Parkinson’s a gift or a blessing. It is neither. It is difficult, frustrating, and sometimes frightening," Simon stated. "I am still learning how to live with it and how to accept it without feeling that I have surrendered something essential."