I, Laura Jane Addams, was born on September 6, 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois. I lived a very privileged life being that my father was a state senator and businessman. I was the eighth of nine children. As a child I battled many health problems. I suffered tuberculosis of the spine which left me with a curved back. In my mid twenty’s I struggled to find a place in this world. My father was dead and my medical conditions were getting worse. I also had to stay home and care for my sister, Mary, whom had tragically fell ill. My life began to change when I went on a trip with my good friend Ellen Gates Starr, to Toynbee Hall in London, England. Toynbee Hall was an establishment that helped the poor. I was very impressed by the establishment.