50 Cent Continues Crusade For Leukemia Patient

First Published: August 18, 2010 4:48 PM EDT Credit: DKMS America

Caption 50 Cent hosts a DKMS bone marrow drive in Queens, New York, in August 2010.

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- An 11-year-old girl with leukemia who played young Nala in “The Lion King” on Broadway has undergone a potentially lifesaving procedure in New York, thanks to a little help from some celebrity friends.

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, Shannon Tavarez received an umbilical-cord blood transplant on Tuesday at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, on Long Island.

The procedure was performed as an alternative to a bone marrow transplant, as her doctor said they were unable to find a perfect bone marrow match for Shannon.

Shannon is a distant cousin of rap artist 50 Cent. Since learning of the young girl’s plight, 50 Cent has made it his mission to help leukemia patients nationwide find a bone marrow match — even filming a new PSA with G-Unit’s Tony Yayo to show fans how easy it is to “Get Swabbed to Save a Life.”

Click HERE to see the video!

50 Cent has registered nearly 4,000 potentially life-saving donors with DKMS (the world’s largest marrow donor center) since he began working with the center only two weeks ago.

“I think when people hear about donating bone marrow, the whole process seems complicated and a lot more difficult than it would be to actually to save someone’s life,” the rapper said in a statement to Access Hollywood. “70% of the people don’t have a match in their family so they have to look outside. You need the help of someone you don’t know.”

For more information on how to help, visit www.GetSwabbed.org

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