By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A family who lost 19-year-old Camille Mitchell to ovarian cancer in 2023 said they were moved to see her classmates at Benedict College honour her during this year’s graduation ceremony, a tribute they felt affirmed her impact.

Kemel Mitchell said his sister, a former Anatol Rodgers High School prefect captain and a 4.0 GPA Presidential Cup scholar, had been determined to finish her degree in Cyber Security, attending classes on Zoom from her hospital bed while undergoing treatment and chemotherapy. She died in November 2023, months before the graduation she had worked toward.

He said one of her friends messaged the family ahead of this year’s Spring commencement, telling them students planned to carry Camille’s memory across the stage. Many wore funeral pins and stoles bearing her name and picture during the ceremony.

Watching the livestream in May was emotional, he said, especially for their mother, who had struggled with the reminders of Camille’s death at home.

“She didn't want to keep any of the photos, she wanted to turn them down,” he said. “Some things she wanted to keep up just to remind her, but she didn’t want to see a lot of it.”

Mr Mitchell created a shrine in their home with Camille’s belongings, saying it helped the family cope. He said her classmates told him she motivated them to push through college, with several saying she was the reason they continued their studies.

Camille was diagnosed with cancer in December 2022. Her academic success and leadership roles — including serving as vice president of the Key Club — made her death widely felt among friends and relatives.

Mr Mitchell, who is studying education in the United States, said the family still grapples with the loss. His youngest sister is now pursuing cellular and molecular biology, a shift he believes was influenced by Camille’s illness. He said her death taught them to prioritise time together and deepened the family’s reliance on faith.

He said this year’s graduation tribute offered his mother comfort, as Camille’s friends shared photos and messages with her. He added that she had treated many of those students like her own children.