Julia Perryman recalls her experience growing up in Thomasville, North Carolina in the 1930s and 1940s. She discusses the difficult financial hardships that her family endured after her father was left paralyzed following an illness and could no longer serve as the family breadwinner. Despite these challenges, Mrs. Perryman describes how her mother provided for the family and how members of the community gave them support. She explains that her childhood dream was to become a nurse, and that during World War II a government program enabled her to go to nursing school. Following the war, she worked in a general practitioner's office and she talks about her first-hand experience in treating victims suffering from the polio epidemic and assisting with baby deliveries and wellness check-ups. Mrs. Perryman concludes by discussing her commitment to serving the needy in her community and emphasizes the importance of serving and caring for others.