A TERMINALLY ill mum of two has had the “best day ever” ahead of potentially her last Christmas.
The day included driving a supercar, feeding giraffes, and being surprised by her favourite pop star.
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Ashley Smith, 34, from Worcester, had been cancer-free for two years, but devastatingly, it has returned and is now classified as Stage 4 secondary breast cancer.
To help make the build up to Christmas one to remember, Ashley and her family were gifted a bucket list experience.
As a part of her bucket list, Ashley wanted to spend the day in and around London with her husband Alex and two children, aged 12 and 10.
The dream day started with a spot of afternoon tea at the regal Rubens at the Palace, which overlooks Buckingham Palace.
While enjoying the meal, the family got a surprise visitor – Duncan James from Blue.
The pop star spent the afternoon with the family sharing afternoon tea with them.
He said: “It was such a privilege to meet Ashley and her family and surprise her! Her face was a picture when I walked in.
“She’s a wonderful woman, wife and mother going through a really tough time at the moment and knowing I brought a smile to her face made me really happy.
It was a really special day and we’ve swapped numbers and I hope to see her again soon”.
Ashley added: “Meeting Duncan James was a particular highlight – me and my Mum are the biggest fans and my Mum is even saved in my phone as ‘Duncan James’.
“To meet him in person was completely surreal but just as incredible. It was the best day of my life.”
The next part of the day, which was organised by Red Letter Days as part of its ongoing partnership with Willow Foundation, was to take Ashley and her family to a supercar driving experience, where they were treated to an exhilarating race around the track.
As avid Formula 1 fans, Ashley and Alex experienced incredibly high speeds in some of the world’s most advanced supercars.
And the day finished with a tour around the giraffe house at Woburn Safari Park.
They were given a rare and up-close look at the long-necked animals, getting the chance to feed and pet the exotic mammals, including the UK’s oldest giraffe.
Ashley said: “It is so important for me to have as many memories as I possibly can with my family.
“We’re huge animal lovers and F1 fans so the day was exactly what we wanted, and we made special memories that will last forever.
The gifting experience company also commissioned research which found one in six will be celebrating what they fear will be their last Christmas with a loved one.
A poll of 2,000 adults found 82 per cent of these want to make this season extra magical for those friends and family who might not be around in years to come.
Half (49 per cent) plan to spend more quality time with them and 38 per cent want to give them a meaningful and personalised gift.
Seven in 10 (70 per cent) of people think it’s important that the gifts you give people at Christmas create lasting memories, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
A spokesperson for Red Letter Days said: “Christmas can be an incredibly hard time of year for families who know they’ll be celebrating with a loved one for the last time.
“While the holidays often enhance the pain of loss, they also remind us of the importance of cherishing each moment.
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“Special memories become part of the legacy we hold onto –and carry us through even the most difficult days.
“Taking the time to make these memories now means we’ll always have a part of them with us, even when they’re gone.”
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