'Lion King' star recovering after blood transplant

A doctor says an 11-year-old with leukemia who played young Nala in "The Lion King" on Broadway is in good spirits after a potentially lifesaving procedure.

Shannon Tavarez received an umbilical-cord blood transplant Tuesday at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park.

Dr. Joel Brochstein said in a statement Wednesday that there were no complications and that Shannon is in excellent condition.

He says it will take at least two weeks to tell whether the procedure was successful.

The actress was forced to quit the show in April. Cast members held bone marrow donor registration drives, but a perfect match was not found.

- AP