This past year has been, for me, a deeply personal journey. Approximately one year ago, I was diagnosed with cancer for the third time in my life. Like many who receive such news, I found myself discouraged and questioning how this could happen again. It is often said that lightning does not strike the same place twice, but life, as we know, does not always follow what we expect.
The months that followed were difficult. I underwent several surgeries and chemotherapy. I am now awaiting further imaging to determine the next steps in my treatment. It has been a time marked by uncertainty, physical challenges, and reflection.
And yet, I am still here.
I am profoundly grateful to the physicians and nurses who have cared for me, especially the team at the Billings Clinic Cancer Center. I am equally grateful for the unwavering support of my family, friends, colleagues at LIFTT, and our Board of Directors. Their presence has been a constant reminder that none of us walks these paths alone.
While I would never wish such an experience on anyone, I have come to understand something more deeply: there is, indeed, life at the end of the tunnel. And perhaps more importantly, there is life within the tunnel itself, moments of connection, strength, and meaning that we might otherwise overlook.
This experience has strengthened my commitment to LIFTT’s mission. Every day, we work alongside individuals who face barriers, uncertainty, and challenges of their own. What I have learned personally is what we affirm professionally: that dignity, independence, and hope are not abstract ideals. They are lived realities, often forged in the most difficult moments.
As we move forward together, I carry with me a renewed sense of purpose and gratitude for this work, for this community, and for the opportunity to continue serving alongside all of you.
With appreciation,
Carlos Ramalho, LIFTT Executive Director
About Living Independently for Today & Tomorrow (LIFTT): LIFTT is a Montana 501(c)3 corporation organized as a Center for Independent Living (CIL). With team members based in Billings and Glendive, LIFTT provides aging and disabled members of the community with programs and services that help empower them to break down the physical, bureaucratic, and cultural barriers that prevent them from being fully independent participants in their lives and communities throughout 18 counties in southeastern and south-central Montana: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone, Musselshell, Powder River, Prairie, Richland, Rosebud, Stillwater, Treasure, Wibaux, and Yellowstone. For more information, please visit liftt.org or download our mobile app for your Apple device.
Our Vision: Empowering aging and disabled individuals to LIFTT themselves above the barriers of life.
Our Mission: Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow – LIFTT’s mission is to empower aging and disabled individuals to live independently through education, support, and opportunities.