The smell of cupcakes and icing filled the air at the Western Basement cafe in Weston Creek on Monday, as members of the Australian Federal Police helped to raise money for Jai Taurima and his sick two-year-old daughter, Indie Rose.
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Dozens of volunteers worked long hours to prepare 6000 cupcakes for Tuesday's bake sale. AFP officers took turns icing and packing the baked goods throughout the day.
All the money goes to Olympic long-jump silver medallist and AFP officer Jai Taurima and his partner Jen Smith. Indie Rose has been diagnosed with infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Mr Taurima said Indie had less than a week to live. AFP intelligence officer and organiser of Cupcakes for Indie, Vanessa Parton, said the huge project had come together in only two weeks.
''I saw their story on Facebook and as a mum of four kids it really hit me. I cannot for the life of me even comprehend what they're going through,'' she said.
''I thought, what can we do to help these guys?''
Companies in the ACT donated ingredients for the cup cake project. The Western Basement cafe and Jazz Apple Cupcake Emporium in Civic provided a kitchen and icing tips.
Ms Parton said they began baking at 4.30pm on Sunday and worked until midnight, before starting again at dawn on Monday.
She said other AFP officers around the country were helping with the fund-raising efforts, even if they could not help with the baking.
''Sydney office is having their own morning tea; Brisbane's having a sausage sizzle; Gold Coast aviation is also contributing, as are Melbourne,'' she said. ''So AFP Australia-wide are coming together tomorrow for cupcakes for Indie.''
The owner of Western Basement cafe, Andriana Vidovic, said that besides providing the working space, she was helping out with coffees and laundry.
''You don't get too many opportunities to help out like this,'' she said.
''We've got some of our staff who jumped on board - baristas and chefs,'' she said. Ms Parton said she just wanted to do her part to help the Taurima family in its time of need.
''My attitude was, if we can relieve some of the pressure of everyday life once Indie's gone from them, then we've done our little bit,'' she said.
''They've got the full support of the AFP behind them, that's something. If I was in their shoes, it would mean a lot, that they're not alone,'' Ms Parton said.
Cupcakes will be on sale on Tuesday at the Edmund Barton Building in Barton, which houses the AFP's headquarters.
