Celine Dion breaks down as she reveals her special connection to John Farnham amid his cancer battle – and reveals how he helped her career

Celine Dion has revealed how listening to John Farnham perform has inspired her to continue singing amid her struggle with stiff person syndrome.

The singer, 56, told Channel Seven‘s Sunrise on Monday how she recently heard the Aussie star perform Help by The Beatles and it was the ‘best version’ of the song she’d encountered.

‘I want to sing a song that he performed and it’s the best version that I’ve heard,’ an emotional Celine said.

‘When he sung [Help] live, I listened to him a lot and I want to sing that song. I will reach out to him because I respect him so much. He is my favourite singer of all time.’

She said she is determined to go back on stage and sing for John Farhnam.

Celine Dion has revealed how listening to John Farhnam perform has inspired her to continue singing amid her struggle with stiff person syndrome

‘I will never forget the gift he gave me. When I go back on stage and sing help, it will be for him. Thank you for that gift,’ Celine added.

She also revealed how John helped her career by allowing her to sing his iconic song The Voice with him on stage. 

Celine continued: ‘I’ve had the privilege and honour of singing The Voice with him. I will never forgot the gift he gave him.’

Celine was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome nearly two years ago, and her battle with the illness is the subject of the upcoming documentary I Am: Celine Dion.

When she suffers an episode, she experiences searing physical agony and her body goes rigid, to the point she may need assistance from her sons.

The singer, 56, told Channel Seven ‘s Sunrise on Monday, how she recently heard Farnham (pictured) perform Help by The Beatles and it was the ‘best version’ of the song

Farnham has also experienced his own health issues and recently underwent extensive surgery due to oral cancer.

In August 2023, Farnham revealed he’s cancer-free, 12 months after having mouth surgery in 2022.

In his first personal statement since the procedure, the music superstar said he was finally in the comfort of his own home surrounded by his loving family and felt like ‘the luckiest man I know’.

‘It’s been a year since my first surgery and to be honest I’ve lost count as to how many other procedures there’s been since then,’ he said.

‘I’m sure someone’s kept track of them all – let’s just say, there’s been a few.’

‘But, I’m home now and I’m a very grateful and happy man. I’m sitting here in my living room lapping up the attention from my beautiful wife, Jill, my boys Rob and James and my mini Schnauzer, Edmund.’

‘When he sung [Help] live, I listened to him a lot and I want to sing that song. I will reach to him because I respect him so much. He is my favourite singers of all time,’ she said

Farnham’s family had previously given updates on behalf of the Australian music legend, following the August 2022 procedure.

Speaking on Sunrise, John’s son Robert said his father was ‘doing fantastic’ after a 12-hour surgery for throat cancer.

‘Just the other day, he was walking around with his cane and did a little bit of a dance which was pretty fabulous,’ Robert said.

‘He’s walking with his dog a lot, so he’s really, really happy. He’s doing really good, he’s super positive,’ he told Sunrise at the time.

The That’s Freedom hitmaker was additionally hospitalised after he developed a chest infection following surgery to remove a cancerous tumour in his mouth.

Farnham is ‘unlikely’ to ever perform again after undergoing a marathon surgery to remove the tumour from his mouth.

It comes after Farnham recently underwent extensive surgery due to oral cancer 

The operation, carried out by 26 medical staff, also saw a major part of his jaw removed.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said there were doubts Farnham would take to the stage again after the recent death of his dear friend and manager Glenn Wheatley, but added it was even more unlikely now.

‘Certainly now you have to say there’s even a lesser chance [of him performing],’ he told 6PR.

Farnham had only discovered he had the cancerous growth in his mouth after his wife Jill insisted on taking him to the doctor for a check up when he developed a persistent mouth ulcer.

‘The cancer tumour was located in his mouth and it has been successfully removed,’ Mrs Farnham said at the time.

 ‘There is still a long road of recovery and healing ahead of us, but we know John is up for that task.’

Ford said the first part of his surgery was the removal of his tumour.

Farnham is ‘unlikely’ to ever perform again after undergoing the marathon surgery to remove the tumour from his mouth

‘And then after that was done, almost immediately the reconstructive team moved in because John did have to have, I’m told, a major part of his jaw removed,’ he said.

Ford earlier reported the singer had emerged from surgery, after ‘cracking jokes’ with hospital staff prior to the delicate procedure.

He said the lengthy surgery, which lasted from 8am to 7.30pm, pointed to the ‘severity of the situation’ but said Farnham had been in high spirits.

‘John’s surgery began at 8.00am this morning and was successfully completed at 7.30pm tonight. He has now been transferred to ICU and is in a stable condition,’ his family said in a statement at the time.