{"id":22944,"date":"2014-08-25T10:20:07","date_gmt":"2014-08-25T14:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=22944"},"modified":"2014-08-25T10:20:04","modified_gmt":"2014-08-25T14:20:04","slug":"kennett-mom-breast-cancer-survivor-rides-to-conquer-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=22944","title":{"rendered":"Kennett mom & breast cancer survivor rides to conquer cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two-day, 150 mile bike journey \u2013 Kennett & Unionville merchants rally in support<\/b><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Kim Chiomento, <\/b>Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Tasha Little-Verrico, a Kennett resident and breast cancer survivor, will participate in the University of Pennsylvania’s Ambramson Cancer Center\u2019s Ride to Conquer Cancer in October, with her backers,\u00a0A LITTLE Team for a CURE. She is being supported by various local businesses in the Kennett and Unionville area. Pictured here, Verrico is with her training partners, her dad Howard Little and friend Patrick Heringslack.<\/p><\/div>\n

KENNETT\u00a0\u2014 For Tasha Little-Verrico achieving victory over challenge, no matter how insurmountable it seems, is what life has repeatedly taught her.\u00a0 When in October of 2012, Verrico a 41-year-old mother of two and self-described soccer mom, \u00a0was diagnosed with breast cancer she found inspiration from those closest to her.<\/p>\n

Verrico watched her parents, the Littles, lose nearly everything when Hurricane Katrina struck. With much courage and resilience, the Littles eventually relocated to Lancaster to be near Verrico and their grandsons.\u00a0 Soon after the devastating storm, their son and Verrico\u2019s only brother Ty, was in a dangerous downward spiral; arrested and consumed by the horrible grip of addiction. \u00a0He has been sober now for more than eight years.\u00a0 She adoringly describes him as \u201cmy hero.\u201d<\/p>\n

These tragedies, turned victories, positioned Verrico for the fight of her life.\u00a0 Verrico, an avid health enthusiast and fitness instructor, like most women, was absolutely shocked when she received her breast cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Currently she is under the care of doctors from the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Abramson Cancer Center and Verrico says, \u201cI had a very good experience there and continue to. \u00a0I like how closely my team of doctors works together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Verrico, whose passion for exercise once included cycling regularly, was driving and heard a commercial for Ambramson Cancer Center\u2019s Ride to Conquer Cancer: October 11-12th.\u00a0 Verrico describes hearing the commercial as a profound experience; seemingly like \u201cIt was speaking DIRECTLY to ME.\u201d<\/p>\n

The commercial was timely.\u00a0 Verrico announced her \u201c<\/b>A LITTLE Team for a CURE\u2019s\u201d<\/b> participation in the Ride on the monumental one year anniversary of being declared cancer free.\u00a0 Verrico trains with her dad, Howard, \u201cwho is a very loving man and dedicated father,\u201d and dear friend Patrick Heringslack, \u201cwho has always been very encouraging and supportive of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Powering through the grueling physical and emotional toll of her diagnosis, mastectomy, reconstructive surgery along and current Tamoxifen protocol, combined with her family\u2019s resilience, continues to inspire her to fight for others.<\/p>\n

Through it all, Verrico maintains a real sense of humor and positivity.<\/p>\n

\u201cTamoxifen is tough.\u00a0 I feel foggy at times and wacked, I mean really WACKED!\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

It has impacted her body\u2019s response to exercise, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow my body takes longer to recover. \u00a0I\u2019m sore and really tired almost always, and I don\u2019t nearly workout as hard as I used to.\u00a0 I was a bit obsessed with exercise, to say the least, so maybe it\u2019s a lesson in patience and to learn to relax more.\u201d<\/p>\n

She now describes herself as more of a weekend warrior on her bike she has lovingly nicknamed \u201cFernando\u201d (after soccer great Fernando Torres.) Verrico also laughs that she \u201chated the color pink,\u201d and has now come to embrace the symbolic color of breast cancer victims and survivors everywhere.<\/p>\n

Verrico has a strong message for those battling cancer: \u201cHave courage, learn to listen to your heart, and know you\u2019re not alone. \u00a0Survivors empower one another to live courageously in the NOW.\u201d<\/p>\n

She would like to thank the following Kennett-area merchant community members for donating 10% of their sales September 12 – 13th to Team LITTLE:\u00a0 Ashley Austin, Chantilly Blue, and Bedbugzz (all confirmed so far) and send a special thanks Nicholas Anthony Salon & Day Spa which has also helped her team raise money.<\/p>\n

To date, \u201cA LITTLE Team for a CURE\u201d has raised $7,136 of their $8,000 goal.\u00a0 You can help support Tasha\u2019s efforts by shopping at the confirmed Kennett merchants September 12\u00a0\u2013 13th<\/sup>, -or- by donating directly to her team by clicking on the link: http:\/\/ph14.ridetovictory.org\/site\/TR\/Events\/2014Philadelphia?px=1192262&pg=personal&fr_id=1080<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more information on Penn Abramson\u2019s Ride to Conquer Cancer visit: Ridetovictory.org<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two-day, 150 mile bike journey \u2013 Kennett & Unionville merchants rally in support By Kim Chiomento, Staff Writer, The Times KENNETT\u00a0\u2014 For Tasha Little-Verrico achieving victory over challenge, no matter how insurmountable it seems, is what life has repeatedly taught her.\u00a0 When in October of 2012, Verrico a 41-year-old mother of two and self-described soccer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,7],"tags":[6022,6020,6021,6019],"class_list":["post-22944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-featured","tag-a-little-team-for-a-cure","tag-ride-to-conquer-cancer","tag-tasha-little-verrico","tag-university-of-pennsylvanias-abramson-cancer-center"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22944"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22945,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22944\/revisions\/22945"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}