February 20, 2023 3:20 a.m.

Family and friends of a Winchester girl who has been fighting cancer for three years, are planning an event to raise more than just money for her medical bills.

13-year old Brynlee Roberts’ biggest wish is for people to smile when they see her and “say cheese”. That phrase has become a battle cry for those close to Brynlee. Wednesday night it will be the focus of a fundraiser at Splitz Family Grill in Roseburg.

The business will donate a large portion of the evening proceeds to “Camp Millennium’s Brynlee Roberts Say Cheese” campaign. Those attending will have other opportunities to give to the effort as well.

In October of 2020, at age 11, Brylee was diagnosed with a brain tumor and in the days following underwent a surgery to remove the tumor. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. That is a low-grade, slow-growing brain tumor that is typically diagnosed in children. The teen has undergone three brain surgeries, radiation in Seattle, and non-stop chemotherapy in Portland. Still more procedures lie ahead.

To carry the “Say Cheese” message beyond Douglas County, Brynlee’s family has launched the Brynlee the Brave Facebook group where her mom Sara posts updates and visitors are encouraged to write Dad jokes in another effort to just make people smile.

The “Say Cheese” event at Splitz, on Northeast Diamond Lake Boulevard in Roseburg, will start at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday and continue until closing.