RIHANNA Saddened By Death Of Broadway Actress.

Rihanna has been left devastated after Shannon Tavarez lost her battle with cancer earlier this week (1st November 2010), insisting it was “way too soon” for the young Broadway star to die.

The Disturbia hitmaker urged her fans to register as bone marrow donors earlier this year after learning of Tavarez‘s long struggle with acute myeloid leukaemia.

The 11 year old, who played the young Nala in hit musical ‘The Lion King‘, underwent an umbilical-cord blood transplant in August this year as an alternative to a bone marrow transplant after failing to find a suitable donor.

She sadly lost her fight for life on Monday, and Rihanna was stunned to hear the news.

In a series of posts on her Twitter page, she writes:

“Just got off of a plane ride and got horrible news that our little star Shannon Taverez has lost her battle against leukaemia!

“Way too soon… keep her family in your prayers.”