Hundreds bid farewell to girl denied liver transplant

Friends remember her blue eyes, charming smile and her strong will to struggle with leukemia.

Photo: Hundreds bid farewell to girl denied liver transplant

Nataline Sarkisyan, the 17-year-old Northridge girl whose death last week sparked a renewed call for health-care reform after she was twice denied a prescribed liver transplant, was buried Friday after a tear-streaked funeral.

"Though she is no longer with us physically, she is now resting peacefully in the presence of God," said Archbishop Mousbegh Mardirossian, western prelate for the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, who presided over her funeral.

"She is the foundation and hope for tomorrow."

Nataline died Thursday just hours after her insurance company, Philadelphia-based Cigna HealthCare, reversed two prior decisions to deny her a liver transplant despite the pleadings of doctors.