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Graduate, Junior Connect Over Shared Love of Bowling
They met under difficult circumstances, but for a St. Joseph’s Academy junior and an alumna who graduated nearly 20 years ago, the connection was immediate.
Molly Milligan would accompany her mother, Anita, to her chemotherapy sessions as she battled breast cancer. Samantha Wall Blalock, a 2005 graduate, was one of Anita’s oncology nurses. Molly and Samantha soon discovered that they had several things in common.
“Part of what I love about being an oncology nurse is the connections you build with your patients and their family members,” Samantha said. “You actually get to know one another, and the conversations are fluid from visit to visit. Mrs. Anita, Molly and I were discussing summer plans, and they told me they were supposed to be up north for a bowling competition but had opted to stay in town because of everything going on. I laughed and said, ‘Oh yeah? I was on the bowling team in high school.’ They said, ‘Where?’ I said, ‘SJA.’ They responded, ‘No way!’”
Molly is a three-year member of the SJA bowling team, and Samantha was a member of the very first bowling team at SJA, established in 2003 by now-Principal Stacia Andricain and former faculty member Hildreth Bean. “I told Mrs. Anita and Molly that my friends and I joined on a whim,” Samantha said. “None of us had any bowling experience, but we knew it’d be fun with Bean and Stacia as the coaches.”
Despite being a newcomer to the sport, Samantha was named the Most Valuable Bowler in 2004 and was a member of the 175 Club in 2005. Molly was named to the All-District Second Team in 2023 and the All-District First Team in 2024. She was also one of four SJA bowlers to qualify for the 2024 state singles championship tournament.
Making the connection was especially meaningful to Molly. Having a fellow Sticker Sister by her side helped her stay strong for her mother. “She was always kind and made us laugh,” Molly said.
Samantha said that connecting with Molly over a shared high school and sport helped make Anita’s infusion time a little easier. “My number one priority as a nurse is to make the patient and family feel at home and a little less overwhelmed,” Samantha said. “Our patients are under enough stress, so anything I can do to lessen that is a win in my book.”
Samantha said she particularly enjoyed learning how much the bowling program has grown since its formative years. She found her bowling jersey and brought it to the clinic so she and Molly could pose for a picture. The relationship with Molly and Anita evoked wonderful memories of her high school years. “I am so proud to be an SJA alum,” Samantha said. “The values, knowledge and friends I gained in high school made me the woman I am today.”
Molly found more than a compassionate healthcare provider. She also found an inspiration. “It’s great that SJA has so many successful graduates,” she said.