Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell , who has been battling cancer for 12 years, announced in a conversation with SiriusXM 's Eddie Trunk that he is "completely cancer-free."
In 2013, Campbell was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a disease that affects the white blood cells. "It took a good 18 months before I was put in touch with the right people and received my diagnosis. I was lucky to find out early," he explains in the interview.
During his 13-year battle, the guitarist underwent three rounds of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, and spinal surgery before finally being cured of the disease. “I had a PET scan in mid-April and I’m 100% cured, completely free of the disease after 12 or 13 years. I’m obviously very happy. I couldn’t ask for more than that,” he reports.
The cure came through a donor, who was not easy to find. Doctors reportedly warned Campbell that his "only chance would be a transplant." The operation was performed on New Year's Eve 2024-2025, and now the artist is completely cancer-free.
About Vivian Campbell
Vivian Campbell, born in August 1962, is a musician from Northern Ireland. The guitarist has played in bands such as Whitesnake , Thin Lizzy , and Sweet Savage . Adding to his musical career, he was also the guitarist for Dio in the early 1980s.
Campbell joined Def Leppard in 1992 as a replacement for Steve Clark after his death, and has played with the band ever since. During his 13-year battle with cancer, the guitarist continued to perform and tour with the band. On occasion, he was replaced by John Zocco at shows where he was unable to play.
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