Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga are among the stars who have asked their fans to help three US youngsters who were orphaned and seriously injured as a result of a car accident earlier this month.
The celebrities asked their fans via Twitter and Facebook to donate to the Show Your Hearts campaign. The money raised will go to a trust fund that has been set up for the Houston-based children's care.
"It is a really sad story, but this is an opportunity for me and my friends to do something good for others," Justin said in a statement. "We can use our influence to do good. We are just doing our part and I hope those kids get something positive out of it."
In its first day, the campaign raised more than 30,000 dollars. A Facebook page that had previously been created to highlight the trust fund and publicise fundraising efforts has helped raise more than 200,000 dollars.
The July 2 accident in West Texas killed the children's parents, Joshua and Robin Berry. Their sons, eight-year-old Aaron and nine-year-old Peter, were both permanently paralysed from the waist down, while six-year-old sister Willa suffered several broken bones.
The family had been driving back to Houston from a vacation in Colorado when another vehicle crashed into their minivan.
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian is another supporter of the campaign. She tweeted: "The family needs our help!! Such a tragic story!"
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