Mending Kids International, a non-profit organisation known for providing life-changing operations in over 63 countries, announced a new partnership with global pop phenomenon, G.E.M.

The superstar who has five number 1 albums in China and reaches more than 30 million followers on social media, will be a new Global Celebrity Ambassador forming a long-term relationship with the organisation. The non-profit raises funds to have the world’s leading surgeons visit and provide life-changing and life-saving pediatric surgical care that could never have been provided before, free of charge.

As a part of this new relationship Mending Kids will also become the official charity that G.E.M supports on her new “Queen of Hearts” world tour. The tour started on April 1 in Guangzhou and will spend the majority of 2017 in China and later this year expand to other areas of Asia and in 2018 the USA and Europe. Mending Kids’ will be integrated into the tour and at the start of every show fans will see a video about Mending Kids organisation, showcasing the great work they do worldwide for children.

The singer will also be “hands on” and active with the charity throughout her tour and will make several visits to Mending Kids surgical sites and be a part of several of the missions. The first of which is already confirmed and scheduled for Luoyang on April 30, after performing in the area on April 29, the next day G.E.M will meet with the representatives of Mending Kids to learn about the current issues they are facing. Following this she will tour the local orphanage and meet with the children who are either waiting for surgery or have recently completed it. G.E.M will also take part in photos and video that the charity will be able to use for its future marketing and promotional purposes.

In addition to this, as a Global Ambassador, G.E.M has generously offered to donate $1.00 of each piece of tour merchandise sold back to Mending Kids, therefore personally helping fund many future missions and surgeries.

Since 2006, Mending Kids’ has provided more than 3,000 complex surgeries to children from all over the world. Many of the surgeries provided correct congenital heart defects, orthopedic abnormalities, severe scoliosis, urological defects, and facial deformities to children from small villages in underdeveloped regions. Children’s lives are changed from private donations, the generosity of volunteer medical staff, donors, ambassadors, and more. Other restrictions such as finances, lack of knowledge on public programs, or denials from government agencies prevent children from receiving serious and transformational surgeries. With these surgeries and the help of G.E.M.’s public presence, the awareness of these programs and cause will reach new heights on a global measure.

Speaking about G.E.M becoming the new Celebrity Ambassador for Mending Kids, Marchelle Sellers, Executive Director of Mending Kids said, “We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with a superstar of such epic proportions as G.E.M.! Our work can only do so much but with someone like G.E.M onboard we know our mission will reach further than we’ve ever been able to before. We can’t wait to see the impact this will bring to all the less fortunate children out there in need. We’re thankful to G.E.M for her passion and desire to be a part of Mending Kids.”

G.E.M added: “I’m honoured to join forces with Mending Kids as their new Global Celebrity Ambassador. I’ve been looking for a cause that I can support and I immediately I fell in love with Mending Kids because they truly make a difference in children’s lives and for me to be a part of that, brings me great happiness. I find it heartbreaking that there are so many children out there who are suffering, not able to receive the serious, life-saving procedures they need to survive or live a comfortable life. I hope that through my tour and my own personal visits and efforts I can bring more awareness and funds to this incredible cause. I’ve been incredibly fortunate and every day I’m thankful for that and now I realise what’s next for me is to also give-back, help others, especially children, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have a partner like Mending Kids to do this with.”