Carly Simon has revealed that she has been living with Parkinson's disease and recently underwent surgery for basal cell carcinoma.
The 83-year-old singer-songwriter disclosed her diagnoses on Monday, July 27, in a statement obtained by People, saying she had spent years learning how to manage Parkinson's after worsening mobility, fatigue and other health challenges.
Simon said her health difficulties initially appeared to be connected to arthritis in both knees and one hip. After undergoing three joint replacement surgeries, however, her ability to walk continued to deteriorate.
The You're So Vain singer described having difficulty rising from low chairs and at times, needing considerable assistance to walk.
Her family eventually recognized that something more than postsurgical recovery could be happening, prompting an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic that led to her Parkinson's diagnosis.
Experiencing unpredictable symptoms
Simon said she began treatment, including medication to help manage stiffness and other symptoms. She also described the condition as unpredictable, with some days marked by severe fatigue that makes it difficult to get through ordinary activities.
"Parkinson's is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable," Simon said. "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 progressive disorder of the nervous system that primarily affects movement. Symptoms can include tremors, stiffness, slowed movement and problems with balance. The disease can also affect non-movement functions, including mood, sleep and cognitive processes.
Simon said her experience has included exhaustion, anxiety, depression and apathy. Parkinson's can affect daily life beyond the movement problems most commonly associated with the disease.
There is currently no cure for Parkinson's but treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Medication is commonly used, while some patients may also undergo surgical procedures depending on their symptoms and response to treatment.
Skin cancer is another health challenge
During the same period, Simon said she was treated for basal cell carcinoma on her face, a common form of skin cancer that typically grows slowly and is rarely fatal when identified and treated early.
"The cancer was removed, but the surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public," Simon said.
The singer said the experience, combined with her mobility difficulties, Parkinson's diagnosis and the emotional toll of her health problems, contributed to her decision to withdraw from public life.
"I have always been more critical of my appearance than anyone else could possibly imagine," Simon said, adding that the surgery gave her "inner critic quite a lot of new material."
According to the American Cancer Society, basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, often associated with long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation and commonly develops on areas of skin exposed to the sun, especially the face.
Simon did not indicate that the skin cancer was connected to her Parkinson's disease, and her statement did not suggest that either condition was responsible for the other.
Singer says illness has not stopped her from making music
Despite the health setbacks, Simon said she has continued to work and is preparing to release "Comes in Waves," her first album of original songs in 18 years, on Aug. 14.
She said creating music helped give structure to days that were otherwise difficult to navigate and reminded her that illness could change her life without becoming the entirety of it.
"I have not stopped living, and I have not stopped working," Simon said.
The singer has largely remained out of the spotlight in recent years. Her last public performance was in 2019, and she was absent from her 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The singer, best known for hits including "You're So Vain" and "Nobody Does It Better," said she decided to discuss her health after receiving years of questions from people concerned about her absence.
Simon said she now moves more slowly and relies on others more than she once did, but she remains active in her creative work.
