When was Vivian Campbell diagnosed with cancer? Def Leppard guitarist reveals he’s in remission from Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell has shared uplifting news about his health, revealing he is finally in remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma after battling the disease for over a decade. The 62-year-old musician, known for his work with the iconic rock band, opened up about his journey during an interview with Sirius XM's Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk on June 11, 2025.
According to the New York Post, Vivian Campbell was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2013. Throughout the years, he tried several treatments, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and even a stem cell transplant with his own cells, but none of them were successful long-term.
Despite early optimistic signs, the cancer kept coming back, and he had progressively grown more ill in recent years. During his interview with Eddie Trunk, Campbell explained that his doctors concluded that a donor stem cell transplant would be his best chance at a cure.
“Ten years ago, I did an oncologist stem cell transplant, which means using my own stem cells. That didn’t work. The cancer kept coming back. And then a couple of years ago, it really got bad… the doctors told me my only chance for a cure was to do a donor transplant,” he said.
More about Vivian Campbell's journey with Hodgkin's lymphoma
As per the New York Post, the Def Leppard guitarist recently opened up about his decision to undergo a bone marrow transplant. However, the journey was not without its setbacks.
Originally slated to have a post-Thanksgiving 2024 transplant, Campbell dealt with a "kick in the nuts" when his donor withdrew their offer 10 days before the procedure. According to the same source, he fortunately found a new donor, a 21-year-old who was a perfect genetic match, and Campbell was able to get the transplant on New Year’s Eve.
As per Guitar.com, while recovering, Campbell missed Def Leppard’s first show of 2025 to focus on his health. On January 24, 2025, Vivian Campbell took to the official Instagram account of Def Leppard to issue a statement.
"I recently had a bone marrow transplant as part of my treatment plan, and it’s safe to say that thus far it’s been a very successful transplant! I just have to keep my head down and my spirits up for the next 100 days of primary recovery,” he wrote.
As reported by People, in April 2025, Vivian Campbell heard the news he had been longing for: a PET scan that showed he was cancer-free.
“I did a PET scan in the middle of April and I'm a hundred percent clean, completely in remission for the first time in 12 or 13 years. And I am obviously overjoyed. You couldn't ask for more than that," he said during his interview with Eddie Trunk.
Although the identity of his donor is yet to be revealed, he publicly expressed his gratitude and joked that he would buy them "a beer — or two or three."
According to Live nation, Def Leppard's 2025 tour is scheduled to commence on June 19.
