Shannon is currently undergoing daily chemotherapy treatments at the Schneider Children's Hospital in Long Island where she currently lives. Doctors believe that a bone-marrow transplant could save her life, but the search for a donor poses a challenge because of Shannon's heritage.
Her mother is African-American and her father is Dominican, and unfortunately, African-Americans make up only seven percent of the national registry for donors, according to DKMS (the largest bone marrow donor center in the world).
Shannon and her family are asking for help. All one has to do is request a special kit, swab the inside of the cheek and send it back to DKMS to find out if he or she a match. Help is urgently needed, as it takes 4-6 weeks for tissue to be DNA-typed, according to DKMS.
Click here to meet Shannon and visit DKMS to find out if you're a match.