There’s no doubting WA’s Kate Campbell is a survivor.
The latest contestant to be voted off Australian Survivor, the 28-year-old not only lasted the harsh conditions of the Samoa jungle, she did so after pulling through life threatening injuries which she received in a severe boat accident in 2007.
Campbell endured a fractured vertebrae, a broken ankle, a broken pelvis and neck injuries in a high profile boating incident in Perth. She also lost her four front teeth in the crash and was in a coma for 10 days.
It was an experience which made her stronger and heading into the Samoan jungle, she understandably felt like she’d be prepared for anything which came her way.
“Survivor was extremely surreal; I definitely didn’t think it was going to be as hard as it was,” Campbell said.
“People think we get things behind the scenes like food or toothbrushes but we got absolutely nothing out there.
“And the mind game was always very difficult especially when you keep on losing and having to vote someone off, it made it very difficult to make it to the final merge.”
And it was an experience which didn’t leave the financial analyst unscathed.
Serving as proof that even unexpected things can be damaging if left untreated, Campbell had to go through emergency surgery on the show after a lump start to grow on her arm.
“It’s amazing what an ingrown hair can do,” she said.
“It was Jonathan (LaPaglia, the host) who pulled me aside about it and they decided that they needed to operate live in air.
“I wish I was supplied with a razor and it might not have happened, but yeah, that was extremely painful.
“I’m pretty injury prone in life so if there was going to be someone who has to have surgery in the jungle, on national TV, it was going to be me.”
Australian Survivor continues Tuesday, 7.30pm on Channel 10 (or WIN in the WA regions).
