50 Cent has appealed to fans to become bone marrow donors after he heard about a young Broadway actress Shannon Tavarez, who has leukaemia.

The rapper has been deeply touched by the story of the 11-year-old, who played Nala in the musical The Lion King. After being diagnosed with the disease in April, the youngster can only survive with the help of a bone marrow transplant.

It was because of Tavarez's condition that 50 Cent became a donor as he registered with DKMS, which is the largest marrow donor centre in the world.

WENN reported that the G-Unit rapper said: "My son is just a couple years older than Shannon and I can't imagine if his life was needlessly cut short when there is someone out there that could save him.

"Shannon's chances of finding a matching donor are slim because she's African American and Dominican and minorities are underrepresented in the national registry."

He also added: "Everyone, regardless of their race or ethnicity, deserves a fair chance at life. Registering to become a bone marrow donor starts with a cheek swab but it's more than that. It's a commitment to save a life."