Post by Sapphire on Nov 2, 2010 11:15:43 GMT -5
NEW YORK (AP) - An 11-year-old girl who played young Nala in "The Lion King" on Broadway has died after a battle with leukemia.
Katharina Harf, co-founder of the bone marrow donor center DKMS, says Shannon Tavarez (tuh-VAHR'-ehz) died Monday at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, on New York's Long Island.
Tavarez had received an umbilical-cord blood transplant in August.
Stars including Alicia Keys, Rihanna and 50 Cent had campaigned to help Tavarez find a bone marrow donor. Cast members held donor registration drives. A perfect match wasn't found.
Tavarez was forced to quit the show in April.
She beat out hundreds of other hopefuls last year to earn the role.
Katharina Harf, co-founder of the bone marrow donor center DKMS, says Shannon Tavarez (tuh-VAHR'-ehz) died Monday at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, on New York's Long Island.
Tavarez had received an umbilical-cord blood transplant in August.
Stars including Alicia Keys, Rihanna and 50 Cent had campaigned to help Tavarez find a bone marrow donor. Cast members held donor registration drives. A perfect match wasn't found.
Tavarez was forced to quit the show in April.
She beat out hundreds of other hopefuls last year to earn the role.
