About Southern Illinois Wellness

Our History

The Southern Illinois Women’s Health Conference began in 1986. Rosemary Berkel Crisp, R.N., of Marion and Ann L. Knewitz, R.D., of Carbondale, along with a group of women with healthcare backgrounds met to discuss the creation of a forum where their general health, emotional and wellness concerns could be addressed. They felt that although women were receiving health related information, it was targeting women solely as the care providers for their family’s health. Moreover women’s unique and individual health concerns were being ignored. They believed that women lacked the appropriate information about their health to make educated and responsible decisions about their own health issues. And, they agreed that the cost was a barrier to healthcare and health related information. That meeting culminated in the first Steering Committee for the Southern Illinois Women’s Health Conference. The first Conference took place later that year. The organization continued to grow and, in 1992, it was incorporated as Women for Health and Wellness, Inc.

Later, a teen conference and men’s conference were added.

Change to SI Wellness

Southern Illinois is a rural area and our conferences provide needed screenings and health education. When Rosemary Berkel Crisp and Ann Knewitz founded our organization more than 30 years ago, they were just trying to help the women of southern Illinois be proactive about their health.

Due to the organization's growth over the last 31 years, we will be combining all three conferences, women, men, and teen, into one family-focused expo.

Our name may have changed, but our passion to enhance the health and wellness of the residents of Southern Illinois remains the same!