6-year-old SoCal girl battling rare brain disease gifted with brand new wardrobe

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- A brave young girl is battling a rare brain disease, and the medicine she needs has caused her to rapidly gain weight, making her clothes unwearable. But she and her family are getting support when they need it most.

6-year-old Brianna Bodley is like any other Southern California girl who loves the beach and just being a kid.

However, life recently delivered her and her family a devastating turn when Brianna was diagnosed with Rasmussen's encephalitis, a rare brain disease.

While undergoing treatment, her medication has caused weight gain so her old clothes no longer fit.

"She started some steroids, so it made her swell up a bit. So she grew out of those, and I bought all new sixes, and she's growing out of those again, so we're going into sevens and eights," explained Brianna's mother, Crystal Bodley.

Facing the burden of buying all new clothes faster than most parents, the family asked for help.

That's when the folks at Helpful Honda stepped in and came to their San Bernardino home for the big surprise: a whole new wardrobe for Brianna including dresses, skirts and even pajama sets.

Brianna's mother was also gifted a surprise to make everyday expenses like gas and groceries a little easier.

For Brianna, the road ahead still poses medical challenges. In just a couple of months, she will be undergoing surgery to have half of her brain disconnected.

Despite the adversity, Brianna appears to be in good spirits, and her family is very grateful for all this support.