Vivian Campbell's Hodgkin's Is Back; Def Leppard Star to Miss Shows

Vivian Campbell’s cancer is back just two years after the Def Leppard guitarist fought and beat Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Campbell posted on Facebook on Friday to tell his fans of his recent diagnosis and to announce he will be taking a leave of absence from his performing career to once again fight cancer.



Campbell is planning his treatments around the group’s touring schedule and will try to only miss the first few shows, a Def Leppard representative told Entertainment Weekly.

Def Leppard is currently on their summer amphitheater tour and is scheduled to play in Tampa, Florida, on Tuesday. Steve Brown, Trixter guitarist, will fill in for Campbell during the concert, says music blogger Eddie Trunk. Brown filled in for Campbell during his last bout with cancer.

In 2013, Campbell used the same page to announce his first cancer diagnosis.



Throughout his battle with cancer, Campbell used his Facebook page to announce that he was “officially in remission from Hodgies,” and that he had been planning to have a stem cell transplant, reported MSN Entertainment.

After beating his illness and returning to performing with the band, Campbell told Rolling Stone in 2013 that "I think I'm playing guitar better than I've ever played in my life because, unlike an athlete, it's not like a physical thing where your body packs in when you're 30. You actually get better and better."

Campbell joined the band in 1992 after being in several other bands including Whitesnake and Shadow King, according to CNN.

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