Washers For Wellness

Washers for Wellness is a not-for-profit charity organization co-founded by Jen Etling and Tanner Hobin in order to raise money for Pulmonary Fibrosis research. On December 30, 2002 Hank Hopfinger entered St. Anthony’s Hospital (St. Louis, MO) following a Christmas Holiday season during which he struggled with breathing and a loss of energy. Doctors were mystified as Hank’s condition worsened, literally by the hour. Within days he was placed on life support, unconscious and given almost no chance to live. The entire St. Louis Community rallied around Hank and his family with an amazing outpouring of prayer and support. Almost miraculously, Hank survived and was given another 4 years of life enjoying his passions - family, friends, church… and washers! Hank, husband to Mary Beth and father to John and Jennifer, Brian and Kate, and Michael, was ultimately diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, an insidious disease that causes the body to reject the lungs. For more information about pulmonary fibrosis you may visit PulmonaryFibrosis.org. To help raise funds to find a cure for this fatal disease, a charity washers tournament was held in July 2003 at Kirkwood Park, and appropriately named “Washers for Wellness”. Due to the tremendous success of the first event, we have founded the organization to repeat and exceed each year’s efforts and provide a day of laughter and fun for all! To date (1/07) Washers for Wellness has raised over $25,000 to help find a cure. Shortly after Hank’s 60th birthday, his suffering ended as he passed away after fighting multiple types of cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. His legacy will forever live on in the hearts of his family and friends and his life with be celebrated each year at the Washers for Wellness tournament.