Vivian Campbell said he’d buy his stem cell donor a beer or three after confirming his cancer was in complete remission for the first time since his diagnosis in 2013.
The Def Leppard guitarist said he’d endured a difficult time in his battle against Hodgkin’s lymphoma after a transplant of his own stem cells failed to work, and a previously-planned donor didn’t work out.
He’s now preparing to take part in the band’s summer tour, after having been replaced by bandmate Phil Collen’s guitar tech, John Zocco, at some recent shows.
READ MORE: Viv Campbell’s First Def Leppard Show Since Marrow Bone Transplant
“I’ve been very lucky, actually,” Campbell told Eddie Trunk on Sirius XM’s Trunk Nation. “I got an early diagnosis… and 10 years ago I did an autologous stem cell transplant, which means using my own stem cells. That didn’t work. The cancer kept coming back.”
He said his health had “really got bad” in recent years, admitting “it was the first time in having to deal with it that I was seriously concerned about it. And the doctors told me really my only chance for of cure was to do a donor transplant.”
Preparing for the procedure involved “very hardcore chemo,” Campbell reported, with surgery planned for Thanksgiving last year. “I lost my donor 10 days beforehand – so that was a kick in the nuts,” he said.
“But I was very fortunate that they found me another one in December. And on New Year’s Eve, I went into hospital. I was in for about three and a half weeks, and I did what has turned out to be a really, really successful transplant.
“I did a PET scan in the middle of April, and I’m 100 percent clean – completely in remission for the first time in 12 or 13 years. And I’m obviously overjoyed. You couldn’t ask for more than that.”
He said of his donor: “There are 10 genetic markers, and this donor was 10 out of 10. A young man, actually. I don’t get to know who he is for a couple of years, but a 21-year-old man… [T]hey always prefer a youthful donor. Obviously, I’m gonna buy him a beer — or two or three!”
Viv Campbell Reveals What Unknown Stem Cell Donor Went Through
Campbell agreed that it was a testament to the unknown man’s character that he’d “put his name on the donor registry, for no reason other than he’s a good person… there are a lot of good people out there, I’m glad to say.”
Speaking from his own experience, he explained that donor procedure “causes a lot of discomfort and bone pain,” continuing: “It is a pretty heavy lift, and I’m just glad there are some great people in the world.”
The guitarist confirmed he was looking forward to meeting the stranger – if it ever happens. “After two years, they give you the option to contact your donor, so you can reach out to them. I would imagine in this day and age it’s via e-mail.
“If they wanna correspond with you they can… they don’t have to. But obviously, it’s a life-saving proposition, so I’d certainly want to express my gratitude.”
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