About Marlys Neis

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I am an author, educator, and healthcare professional whose work is shaped by lived experience - caregiving, chronic illness, loss, and the slow, steady practice of beginning again.

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For more than five decades, I taught and worked in healthcare leadership, helping students, families, and patients navigate the complexities of illness and the healthcare system. My writing grows out of these experiences and the deeply human stories behind them.

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Through my memoir "Sing, Even If You Can’t," the companion "Keep Singing" journal, and the teaching materials I create for biology and healthcare students, my goal is simple: to offer clarity, comfort, and practical support to anyone finding their way through difficult seasons of life.

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A Life Shaped by Caregiving and Resilience

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My journey includes years of providing care to my husband Bob as he lived with Parkinson’s disease and cancer, as well as navigating my own health challenges - rheumatoid arthritis, cancer remission, and more recent medical complications. These experiences taught me not only about the fragility of health, but also about grace, resilience, and the capacity to keep moving forward even when the path is uncertain. 

 

This lived experience informs everything I write and teach.

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Teaching and Educational Work

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As a long-time educator, I’ve developed a wide range of classroom resources -  case studies, jigsaw activities, medical terminology materials, and collaborative exercises - aimed at making learning engaging, relevant, and accessible for pre-professional and paraprofessional students.

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My Teachers Pay Teachers store, "A Spoonful of Medicine," reflects this commitment to thoughtful, interactive learning.

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Writing for Healing, Clarity, and Connection

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My writing focuses on the emotional realities of caregiving, the challenges of navigating the modern healthcare system, and the ways we rebuild after loss. I believe stories help us feel less alone - and that clear, compassionate education empowers people to face even the hardest moments with confidence.

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Why I Write

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I write to honor the experiences that shaped me.
I write to help others feel seen.
And I write because I believe we can begin again - even when we’re not sure how.