More than a year ago Fenisa John and her husband, Ericson Timothy, moved to Hawai'i so their son could have better medical care.

Everything seemed right when he was born in Guam, but at 2 months he started having seizures and later was diagnosed with a seizure disorder and developmental disabilities.

They took him to doctor after doctor only to have to wait for weeks for the results. Some days he'd have three seizures a day. After four years of frustration with the medical system and no improvement in their son's condition, the couple decided to make the move to Hawai'i. They left behind their family support network and came here for better medical care for their son. Besides their son, age 7, they also have two daughters, ages 5 and 4.

They came here without jobs or a home. The first few months were trying, John said. They took her son to the Kapi'olani Medical Center emergency room when they ran out of seizure medicine because he was having three to five seizures a day.

Now with regular medical care, he's down to one a week or less, John said.

"I needed to be closer to the doctors for his condition," said John, 35. "I didn't know what to do when he had his seizures. I was so scared.

"But he's so much better than before."

Despite giving up good jobs in Guam, they feel they've made the right decision for their family. John's husband works as a dishwasher in a Honolulu restaurant, she said. They are living in transitional housing in Kala'eloa.

If someone decides to adopt her family, she would like clothes for the kids, diapers for her son. Other items of need are groceries for a holiday meal, cleaning supplies and laundry detergent.

While the three children go to school, John doesn't work. She stays home to care for her son, who only goes to school part of the day.

"My son is doing OK," John said. "He doesn't know how to communicate well, but I can tell when he's uncomfortable or needs his diaper changed."