Shari Puterman

sputerman@theadvertiser.com

A teacher's work is never done - and this local lady is living proof.

Dana Griffin Nugent of Rayne Catholic Elementary School is making a desperate plea on behalf of a former student. She needs our help to save this young girl's life.

Anais Alleman, 16, was adopted from Vietnam by a local family. She is described by Nugent as a "fun-loving, smart, kind and just beautiful girl."

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Her bright personality has shone for years. In 2009, she was crowned Petite Miss Dance of Dixie during the regional Dixie Dance Master Convention/Competition and went on to compete in the Dance Masters of America’s 125th National Convention in Washington, D.C.

Unfortunately, things have taken a frightening turn in her life.

The teen was recently diagnosed with leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), desperately needing a bone marrow transplant to save her life.

Her ethnicity makes finding a donor extremely difficult, and that's where we can help.

Nugent reached out to Ellen DeGeneres in hopes to raise awareness and potentially find a match.

"We are desperately trying to reach out to those of Asian descent to please register at the bone marrow registry so that this family may find that one special person that could possibly save Anais," Nugent write on her Facebook page. "This hard-working family needs support in every way and our school and community is desperate to find her as much help as possible."



Nugent is asking the public to share this story as much as possible, in hopes that it reaches the right person.

Let's make sure Anais lives a long and healthy life.

Loved ones have set up a Go Fund Me page to assist with medical expenses. If you are interested in learning more,visit www.gofundme.com/AnaisAlleman.