Members of the Colorado Clown Alley, including Bev Earley (top left) and Fran Etzkorn (bottom left).

For Fran Etzkorn of Longmont, Colorado, making annual donations to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is no laughing matter.

Fran, who was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in 2009, uses her passion for clowning to spread awareness about PH. She encouraged her group, the Colorado Clown Alley, to get involved with a PHA fundraising event. And she recruited someone from the PH community to join her group and become a clown: Bev Earley, leader of PHA’s Denver-area support group.

“This is my way of getting people to be more knowledgeable about the disease,” Fran says.

Fran and her husband, John, give to PHA because they want to help others affected by PH. “Donating to PHA helps so many people realize there is hope after finding out you have PH,” she says.

She is hopeful for a cure and knows her gift directly affects research and supports patients and caregivers. “I believe in this cause, and I want to help others in any way that I can to find a cure.”

Join Fran in making a charitable contribution to PHA. To use your passion to advance PHA’s mission, contact us at (240) 485-3810.