Sufjan Stevens: Songwriter 'cannot walk' after being diagnosed with rare disease

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."

The singer-songwriter is one of the most celebrated independent musicians of the 2000s, known for his delicate but striking musical arrangements, and poetic lyrics.

He made his name with an ambitious project to record an album for each of America's 52 States - although only two ever came to fruition.

Instead, he branched out into more personal territory, exploring the death of his mother on 2015's Carrie & Lowell, and his struggles with love and faith on 2020's Ascension.

The Detroit-born singer was also nominated for an Oscar for Mystery of Love - a haunting folk ballad from the Timothée Chalamet film Call Me By Your Name - in 2018.

He is due to release his ninth album, Javelin, next month and explained to fans that his lack of promotion was due to the sudden onset of his medical condition.

"I'm only in my second week of rehab but it is going really well and I am working really hard to get back on my feet," he said.

"I'm committed to getting better, I'm in good spirits, and I'm surrounded by a really great team. I want to be well!"

He continued: "I'll keep you posted as I progress. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. And a huge shout out to all the incredible caretakers of the world working night and day to help us heal. They are living saints."