Hallie pictured with her parents, Mary and Brock, and her older sister Anne.

Kansas Girl Brushes off CFIDS

“I am one of the lucky ones,” says Hallie Kretsinger.

Hallie, now a high school junior, first began feeling the effects of CFIDS in 1998, when she was in the fourth grade. CFIDS kept her bed bound nearly 20 hours per day.

While going through the most difficult times of her illness, Hallie turned what little energy she had to painting. The result, hundreds of beautiful watercolors, a lesson in perseverance and a 2004 fundraiser which generated more than $2,000 for the CFIDS Association of America.  

After years of carefully balancing gentle activity with frequent rest periods and adhering to a healthy diet, her health has slowly improved. Today, Hallie has largely regained her strength. She is playing tennis and plays the violin in the orchestra at school. And like many high school juniors, Hallie has started to look at colleges.

Her interest in art remains strong.  This year, Hallie painted the stunning watercolors featured on the CFIDS Association’s seasonal greeting cards to help raise money for a cause close to her heart.

“I feel pretty lucky to be feeling better,” says Hallie. “I believe in what the CFIDS Association does for people with CFIDS and I am just glad to help out in any way I can.”