"Young Nala"
in Disney's The Lion King
Jan. 20, 1999 - November 1, 2010
in Disney's The Lion King
Corporate Engagement
Shannon’s S.H.A.R.E. Foundation was founded in memory of 11 year old Shannon Skye Tavarez. Shannon was starring as ‘young Nala’ in The Lion King on Broadway when she was suddenly diagnosed with AML Leukemia. Her doctors said that she needed a matching bone marrow donor to survive. Shannon's search was difficult due to a lack of people of color registered on the national bone marrow registry. Unfortunately, Shannon never found a match and passed away on All Saint's Day; November 1, 2010. We continue her legacy by registering donors and financially assisting patients diagnosed with blood cancers and other blood related illnesses.
Shannon’s S.H.A.R.E. is dedicated to the education and recruitment of potential bone marrow donors, especially in communities of color where the need is greatest.
We are committed to providing support, hope and aid to patients and their families, with a focus on those in need of bone marrow transplants.
Our Vision - As we share Shannon's story of courage, perseverance and compassion our hope is that people will be encouraged to make a difference by becoming registered donors so that all patients needing bone marrow transplants will have a chance to survive.
Odiney Brown - Co Founder
Exec Director / Board President
Nahdi Mukomana Brown
Deputy Executive Director /
Press, Media, & Social
Donna Trent - Board Vice President
Mashale Straker - Board Secretary
Jessie Norment - Board Treasurer
Dr. Shellyann Sharpe - Medical Liaison
Board Member
...and many hardworking Volunteers!!
Our ultimate mission is to recruit and educate more bone marrow/stem cell donors in communities of color. Diversifying the national marrow registry will help give all patients a better chance at survival. All individuals need to register but people of color are especially needed. Help us save lives in our communities!
Live it! Love it! Swab it!
We provide financial assistance to patients and families to help offset expenses for qualified US residents. Aid is provided to patients that are in need of a bone marrow transplant, in active treatment or ongoing medical follow-up for any blood-related diseases. These patients are referred to us by a medical professional.
Studies show that younger donors result in better outcomes for patients. Due to a lack of bone marrow donors of color, Shannon’s S.H.A.R.E. also focuses on recruiting college aged individuals of color to help diversify the registry. Due to the younger age of the registrant, they will be in the registry for a longer span enabling more opp
Studies show that younger donors result in better outcomes for patients. Due to a lack of bone marrow donors of color, Shannon’s S.H.A.R.E. also focuses on recruiting college aged individuals of color to help diversify the registry. Due to the younger age of the registrant, they will be in the registry for a longer span enabling more opportunities for patients to match over a longer period of time. Get your school involved.
Please reach us at contactus@shannonsshare.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Even with more than 38 million potential marrow donors and 800,000 cord blood units available worldwide, it is harder for patients of racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds to find a match. Because tissue type is most likely to match someone of the same race and ethnicity, donors of color are especially needed!
Seventy percent of all patients who need a transplant don’t have a matching donor in their family, therefore depending on a stranger to save them. Because of you, more patients will be able to receive a life-saving transplant. Once you register, you are only called if you are found to be a match for a patient in need.
The most frequently used method is Peripheral Blood Stem Cell donation (PBSC), where the donor is comfortably in a chair or bed for 4-6 hours, while blood is drawn from one arm, the needed stem cells are separated out and the remaining blood is returned to the other arm. Similar to a transfusion.
The other 20% who donate bone marrow, most often requested for young children or very severe cases, can expect a 2 hr procedure. Under general or local anesthesia, a doctor will collect liquid marrow from iliac crest of the hip bone with a syringe. After anesthesia wears off, the patient may experience soreness for a few days.
A physician will decide which procedure is necessary. Both are safe, out-patient procedures and a minor inconvenience to save a life. Don't you agree?
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