PathWest BakeWest - Entries for Overall Winner

Please note: Voting closed on Thursday 7 August 2025.

Overall Winner Cake Entries

Genes and germs by Avril Strutt (People, Capability and Culture)

Named ‘Genes and Germs’, this colourful retro-inspired cake was created as a school holiday activity with Avril and her children – a celebration of both creativity and science. The name playfully reflects both the cake and the creators.

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The ‘P’ cake by Ingrid Iaschi (Environmental Microbiology Unit)

To celebrate 20 years of PathWest, the Environmental Microbiology Unit created a striking red chocolate cake in the shape of a bold letter ‘P’. It’s a strong symbol of PathWest’s identity, commitment to public health, and its mission to protect community wellbeing.

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Point-of-Care Testing by Elizabeth Byrnes (Biochemistry)

Representing the important work of the Point-of-Care Testing team, this cake highlights the iSTAT device used for urgent bedside testing in rural and remote WA. The device plays a critical role in patient care, often preventing the need for transfer to Perth by delivering rapid results for blood gases, chemistry, and troponin.

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The LIS cake by Doreen Asuncion (Microbiology)

A last-minute labour of love, this cake features fondant decorations handcrafted just an hour before work. The design includes gloves, slides, vacutainer tubes, DNA strands, and a computer (representing the Laboratory Information System (LIS)) – symbolising who we are and what we do at PathWest. It’s a sweet tribute to our commitment to excellence and innovation from 2005 to 2025.

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PathWest journey by Kay Stone (Forensic Pathology)

This intricately detailed cake symbolises PathWest’s evolution over 20 years. The board features PathWest’s core values: Care, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.

Edible decorations include the original PathCentre logo from 2005, the current logo from 2025, the COVID virus, red blood cells, a diclofenac element, and ‘funky flagella’. A fondant version of Dr Buck’s 20-year service badge serves as the cake topper.

Other details include WA Police Force crime scene tape and edible scalpels, honouring the important role of the Forensic Pathology and Mortuary teams. The cake itself is chocolate and vanilla, filled with Swiss meringue buttercream and ganache, with a top tier designed for display only.

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Red cell surprise by Sarina Rey (QEII Network Specimen Collection)

A decadent chocolate and raspberry jam cake – bursting with bright red cells in celebration of PathWest’s 20-year journey.

Pathology Request by Monica Kemp (Immunology)

This fun and clever creation was designed to resemble a Pathology Request Form, blending creativity with a celebration of PathWest’s 20-year milestone. The cake featured playful elements such as clinical notes reading ‘double decade-it is’and a test request for ‘platinum levels’ – a witty nod to the platinum 20-year anniversary. With thoughtful details and a great sense of humour, Monica’s cake is both a tribute to pathology and a showcase of creative flair.

Forensic scene by Carrie Gardner (Quality and Patient Safety)

Carrie’s cake draws inspiration from the world of forensic pathology, featuring a clever crime scene theme. The centrepiece is a cake designed with chalk-style body outlines, reminiscent of the markings used at crime scenes. Each outline is part of a numbered scene, labelled 1 to 3, adding to the investigative aesthetic. Surrounding the cake are cupcakes topped with red blood cells – a creative nod to the biological side of forensic work. The result is a visually striking and thematically rich tribute to the forensic teams at PathWest.

The esky by Rose Murch (QEII Network Operations)

A clever nod to a PathWest essential, this four-layer vanilla cake (with vanilla ermine frosting and raspberry soak) is shaped like an esky. Lifting the lid reveals 20 jelly ‘samples’, marking 20 years of service.

Healthy 20-year tribute by Shirley D’Souza (Anatomical Pathology)

This pistachio and orange cake honours PathWest’s 20th anniversary with a healthy twist. Pistachios are a great source of protein, fibre, and healthy fats – a fitting tribute to our shared focus on health and wellbeing.

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Sweet side of science by Andrew McKerrell (Office of the Chief Executive)

Andrew’s cake was thoughtfully made to accommodate dietary needs, featuring gluten-free apple and white chocolate. Decorated in PathWest colours (red, white, and black), the design strikes a balance between medical science and the patient experience – with a slightly macabre edge.

PathWest starts with phlebotomy by Abi Hague (FSH Network Specimen Collection)

This cake is a tribute to the vital role of phlebotomists – the first point of contact in a patient’s diagnostic journey. The arm undergoing venepuncture represents the starting point of testing, where skill, empathy, and care set the tone for accurate outcomes. Featuring 20 handmade vials to mark 20 years of PathWest, the cake honours the dedication of our specimen collection teams.

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Illustrated pathology by Hedy Bedford (Microbiology)

Hedy’s gluten-free orange cake was thoughtfully designed to celebrate all of PathWest’s departments under the 20-year banner. The cake features edible fondant illustrations representing Microbiology, Biochemistry, Histology, and Haematology – a creative tribute to the diverse work that makes up pathology as we know it.

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Antibiotic in action by Rebecca Ferdinand (Microbiology)

This microbiology-themed cake showcases a black swan (representing PathWest) dropping an antibiotic capsule onto Gram-negative bacilli – symbolising the work of Bacteriology AST in fighting infectious diseases. A fondant ribbon reads PathWest 20, with the inscription Testing for today, Teaching for tomorrow – a tribute to the present and future of pathology.

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Agar art jelly cake by Liana Barrett (Microbiology)

A two-layer jelly cake with a biscuit crumb base, styled to resemble a blood agar plate streaked for single colonies – a beautiful edible nod to microbiological techniques.

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RSS: A tasty tribute by Bridget de Bijl (Regional and Support Services)

These vanilla cupcakes with Biscoff buttercream are decorated with miniature PathWest elements – blood films, agar plates, Heparin tubes, and Vitros slides – representing the diverse work across RSS. The design also includes the PathWest logo and the 2005–2025 20-year anniversary theme.