Cardiff bakery Let Them See Cake received a very special request from a young mum - to make a celebration cake for NHS staff as a 'thank you' for saving her live and that of her unborn baby. Baker and staff member Mared was asked to make the cake by mum-of-three Abbey.
Abbey's very emotional story was shared during the latest episode of the new BBC show Hot Cakes which follows bakery owner Gareth and his partner Ryan and their staff. From making cakes for baby gender reveals to celebrating Pride there is not a lot this bakery can not do.
When Abbey was 26 weeks pregnant with her daughter Forrest, she developed pre-eclampsia, which is a serious blood pressure condition. This meant that the doctors had to deliver Forrest prematurely.
Becoming emotional Abbey explained how there were moments when Forrest nearly didn't survive, she said: "She was born lifeless and they had to work on her for seven minutes before she done the smallest cry."
Abbey went on to explain how aged just eight weeks old Forrest developed a life-threatening bowel condition, still emotional she said: "All I can remember was 20 plus doctors around her, doing all these things and then I just remember them saying 'she's gone'"
Wiping her tears away Abbey took a break and then continued: "It's terrible. It's something no mother would ever wanna hear. They rushed me out of the room, called me in 10 minutes later and she was alive."
Forrest was born during lockdown meaning that Abbey could have no visitors or anyone there to support her, including Forrest's dad. She described the nurses as her "rock", she said: "They saved me basically." And Abbey wants to give them the cake to thank them for everything they did.
Abbey, becoming emotional, said: "I owe everything to all the doctors and nurses that were part of Forrest's journey, they saved my life as well as Forrest's. Nothing was too big or too small for them, they did everything and I'm just so grateful because if it wasn't for them she wouldn't be here now."
After hearing the story Mared also became emotional and said it "really puts everything into perspective". They opted for a vanilla funfetti cake as it was bright and colourful.
Once the cake was made Abbey returned to Singleton hospital with Forrest to give the doctors and nurses the cake, which they loved. The full series of Hot Cakes is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
