He was one of rugby league’s pin-up boys of the 1980s, but now former Bulldogs, Rabbitohs and Roosters player Sandy Campbell is battling throat cancer.
Making his fight even tougher is the fact he is homeless, a Daily Telegraph exclusive reveals.
Campbell — nicknamed The Sandman — played 93 first grade games and at the height of his career featured on the front cover of Rugby League Week posing as Michael Jackson. The headline read “BAD – The Dancin’ Bulldog. The remarkable talents of a Bulldogs flyer”.
But the 56-year-old now sleeps at the beach and is often spotted at a St Vincent de Paul homeless shelter in Tweed Heads collecting a hot meal.
Campbell has reportedly struggled after retiring from footy in 1991 and has “lounge hopped” for the last 20 years while working as a security guard and tattoo artist, according to News Corp.
However his life has taken a terrible turn after being diagnosed a month ago. A good friend revealed Campbell has to regularly visit a local hospital for chemotherapy and then leave with a tube that self-administers the treatment.
“He’s got nothing … He just started treatment but has got nowhere to stay, nowhere to go and no help,” Darren Smith told News Corp.
“At the moment, he is sleeping on the beach underneath one of the surf clubs at Coolangatta.
“I don’t even know how to help him. What do I do? I was going to start a Go Fund Me page to try and help him out.
“No one can give him accommodation and he’s got no money. There’s no housing anywhere, he’s got cancer and he’s walking around with chemo treatment being pumped into him while pushing his trolley.
“I have helped him out many times. He slept in my office for many years because he had nowhere to go, but I sold that business and don’t have that office anymore.
“It makes it even harder because he is sick. To have a bed to sleep in would be everything for him. It’s very sad.
“I saw him the other day and thought: ‘What the f***, are you serious?’ Look at him, he’s connected up to this (medical) s*** and pushing his trolley — how do you help?”
Former teammate Kurt Landers told Wide World of Sports that a GoFundMe page will be set up for Campbell and Family of League (formerly Men of League) have “promised to do something”.
“It’s been sad – he was fine until a year or so ago when things fell apart,” Landers said.
“I am determined to help him out and so have plenty of other guys who played with and against him.
“I’m going up to the Gold Coast soon to check in on him and we are looking to set up a GoFundMe page to help him.
“Hopefully the fans who he gave a lot of joy to can pitch in.
— with foxsports.com.au
