Shannon Tavarez, the little girl who’s brave battle against leukemia prompted more than 8,000 people to become bone marrow donors across the country lost her fight to the disease yesterday. Sahnnon’s mom, Odiney Brown, is a good friend of ours and a HU grad…Ee blove YOu Shannon!!! Rest In Peace!!!

The pretty, 11-year-old soprano, who played Young Nala in “The Lion King” on Broadway, succumbed to the disease after getting an cord-blood transplant in late August that doctors hoped wouldsave her life, according to BroadwayWorld.com.

Her plight had prompted more than 8,000 people from around the country to sign up as bone-marrow donors in a campaign in her name.

But no marrow match could be found, so she underwent the umbilical cord transplant as an alternate treatment.

Rapper 50 Cent even helped in the outpouring of offers of help to the Bellerose schoolgirl with a megawatt smile, making a YouTube video about getting his cheek swabbed to become a marrow donor.

In less than a week, more than 3,600 people had signed up as donors online through donor center DKMS Americas.

No child should go this early but if you knew Shannon, she would want everybody to smile and know that she is ok with her Lord… Brave and smart little girl God Bless!!

Rest in peace Shannon!