Young 'Lion King' actress with leukemia dies

[November 03, 2010]  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.

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Online:

DKMS donor registry: http://www.getswabbed.org/

[Associated Press]

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