Jean and Enele Purcell and their 7-year-old daughter, Evangeline, were living in American Sämoa in 2007 when Jean, 31, gave birth to a second baby girl, Eros, who was born two months premature.

After the baby went into a coma and developed pneumonia, the worried parents decided to travel to Honolulu in order to find better medical care for Eros.

Hawai'i doctors diagnosed the infant and determined she had severe asthma, brain damage and other developmental problems that require her to be fed through a tube in her abdomen.

Meanwhile Enele Purcell, 35, was unable to find steady work on O'ahu, and the family became homeless, occasionally staying with relatives for short periods.

Eventually, they were able to move into Holomau Nä 'Ohana's Onemalu Transitional Shelter in Kalaeloa.

A stable environment has improved the family's situation, said shelter case worker Polialoha Martin. But she said the couple continues to suffer extreme financial hardship.

"This family's main focus is on the baby and her needs," said Martin. "They cannot go home to Sämoa because the baby's medical needs will not be met. Therefore, they stay here, even though it means they will struggle.

"But even as they struggle, they remain strong in their faith and are thankful for all their blessings."

This Christmas season, Martin said, the family would appreciate a helping hand with the basics, such as food and clothing, and perhaps a few holiday gifts for Evangeline and Eros.

"We need all the help we can get to provide a better living for our children while we are here trying to improve our daughter's health," said Jean Purcell. "My daughter's medical condition has caused our family to struggle to get by. We would be blessed for any help in this time of need."