Charlie Sheen is using his fame to raise awareness of and money for children suffering from congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

ADVERTISEMENT

CHERUBS, which describes itself as a charity created to raise money for research and family support for those affected by the birth defect, said the illness harms 1,600 babies each year in the United States, ultimately killing about half of them.

Sheen is helping the organization by encouraging Web users to vote for CHERUBS in the 2011 Vivint Gives Back Project, a national online campaign that will award $250,000 to a non-profit organization and $100,000 to five regional charities throughout the United States and Canada.

CHERUBS said Wednesday it is in third place.

Vivint, a North American home automation company, is presiding over the 2nd annual competition, which lets voters nominate, endorse and donate to their favorite causes.

Sheen has been the subject of negative press for months after he was fired from his sitcom "Two and a Half Men" because of his drug use, erratic behavior and outrageous remarks he made about the show's creator.

He and the mother of his twin toddler sons also recently divorced.