How the Melbourne All Abilities Cricket Association pulls people out of ‘very dark places'
At 25 years of age, Denis Wilkinson received a diagnosis that would change his life forever.
Wilkinson was found to have McCune-Albright Syndrome, a rare and complex genetic disorder affecting the bone, skin and endocrine systems.
It explained why he shot up from 5'8 to 6'8 between the ages of 15 and 22.
'I'm one in five million,' Wilkinson explained.
'I get looked after at Royal Melbourne and at Western Health medically, I see the best surgeons. My biggest problem is excess growth, because I produce so much growth hormone naturally, it's a lot of disfiguration and my bones are very soft.
'(The diagnosis) was very very late and it literally changed my whole life.
'Sometimes my body, I wake up some days and I'm done before I start.'
Almost poetically, around the same time Wilkinson, now aged 40, was diagnosed with McCune-Albright Syndrome some 15 years ago, a chance conversation was struck up at Moorabbin Cricket Club.
It was there and then the seed for what would become the Melbourne All Abilities Cricket Association (MAACA) was planted in the mind of the competition's founder, Steve Lefebvre.
In 2025, the competition celebrated its 10th season, and it has shaped the lives of Wilkinson and many others for the better.
'This has really saved a number of them,' Lefebvre said of the impact MAACA has had on its participants.
'Some of them have seen darker times and playing within a club has got them connected which is absolutely fantastic, they don't become one of those unfortunate statistics, they're actually enjoying themselves among the community like everyone else.
'A number of the clubs have helped them get jobs, they've helped them go through pathway processes to the Victorian team.'
The association now has 16 clubs, 24 teams and more than 300 players across Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and greater Melbourne.
Crucially, every program must be embedded within a 'mainstream' local cricket club to foster a sense of belonging.
Lefebvre is a retired police officer of 41 years who developed Victoria Police's mental health strategy, while he was also recognised with a 'Victorian Local Hero' nomination at the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards for his work with MAACA.
He said the association's growth was rapid, but would be capped at three new clubs per season so it 'doesn't get out of hand'.
'We've got different divisions according to different skill levels and different disability levels, right up to the high functioning guys,' he explained. Humble beginnings
Vickram Jholl was the player who inspired the creation of an all-abilities program at Moorabbin, and later the formation of the MAACA, when his tireless and determined parents leant over the fence at cricket training and asked Lefebvre if he could help their son.
In the first year there were only seven players and Lefebvre was left disappointed, but steadily that number grew. The next year there were 19, then 29, then 44, and so on.
'It just started as an idea at Moorabbin Cricket Club about 15 years ago and it all started to blossom, now we're putting the reins on it because it's just exploding … when you see it you're absolutely hooked,' Lefebvre said.
'The interest got so big that we decided to set up a competition. It's a program first and a competition second.
'It must be embedded within a mainstream cricket club, it can't be an all abilities club, and that's all about integration and inclusion basically … all our all abilities players come to Moorabbin functions.
'The cultural change has taken place many years ago and it's just part of the everyday furniture at Moorabbin which is fantastic. It's nothing new for a First XI player to be sitting next to an all abilities player and having a chat.
'That was the idea of what we wanted to do and that was the way it worked out which was great.'
Vickram's parents Arjan and Gobind Jholl had been searching tirelessly for an opportunity for Vickram – who has autism and an intellectual disability – to play cricket when they met Lefebvre.
'It took us a while to get a club that would take in people with all abilities,' Arjan explained.
'Vickram was really interested in cricket … he kept saying he wanted to play cricket.
'We went around door knocking, got the local council involved as well, it took us around a year.
'Everyone was telling us we can't take it on, it's too hard basket, it's a big liability, but Steve gave it a go and said 'I'll do it', and he did. He's our saviour, we weren't going to give up until we found someone but we were lucky that Steve gave us a go.' The impact
Vickram and Wilkinson are just two cases out of hundreds of MAACA shaping a disadvantaged life for the better.
'It has made a lot of difference … just that sense of belonging, giving everyone a go, you're not judging,' Arjan said of the impact on Vickram.
'Everyone has a goal no matter what your ability is, he's so proud to put on his uniform on match days and he thinks, 'right, I'm a hot shot cricket player'. It has boosted his self esteem, his morale.
'He's a different boy altogether.'
Wilkinson has only been playing in MAACA for the past two seasons but said it had been 'amazing' for him.
'It's given me another path and another step in life, people go through a lot of things in life, but it's all about a team environment and getting out there, and community,' said Wilkinson, who plays for Seddon Cricket Club.
'Some days I wake up and my head is just pounding and my face is swollen, it's just life.
'Cricket helps me and gives me a purpose on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, to me it gives me something to look forward to, then a week's gone like that.'
'My day to day life is very boring unfortunately, I'm on the disability pension and when I'm really sick I don't leave the house, or might see the boys at cricket and socialise.
'Outside of cricket I struggle a lot on the medical side of it. Cricket and golf are the things that get me out of the house to come and socialise, it makes me a better person.
'The people at Seddon love and respect all of our all abilities players, they put a smile on our face and we put a smile on their face.'
An action as simple as Wilkinson putting his body behind the ball in the outfield can cause injury for him given his softer bones, while he also needs injections once a month, has to take tablets everyday, and has diabetes. 'We could go on forever …' he trails off.
Wilkinson has also struggled with alcohol as a result of his condition, but went cold turkey in his first season with MAACA.
'I get on it a bit, I don't work most days and it gets boring, cricket does help. I can't say so much positive things with MAACA … I'm very fortunate.
'Last year I did so well,' Wilkinson said.
'This year hasn't been great because when I get sick I get on it a bit too much, but that's life.'
Wilkinson added that his diagnosis 'took a big toll' on him.
'I'm lucky I've got an amazing family, my mum and dad, If I didn't have them … I've been in very dark places in life and if it wasn't for my family and friends and cricket and golf, it was very, very, very hard.
'Everyone gets dealt a shit card and might feel shit on 'x' day, but you've got to wake up and have some positives.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Advertiser
17 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Microscope on IVF giant over 'inexcusable' embryo error
A second embryo blunder from a major private fertility clinic has raised fresh fears about system flaws. Staff at a Monash IVF laboratory in Melbourne on Thursday transferred the wrong embryo to a woman, giving her one of her own rather than one from her partner, as they had requested. The pair is believed to be in a same-sex relationship. The company, which is based in Melbourne but has clinics around Australia, apologised to the couple and launched an internal investigation. But the Victorian Health Regulator has swooped in with its own probe of Monash IVF and how the error occurred at its Clayton site. State Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the mistake was "completely unacceptable" and the company must provide answers. "This will be quite devastating for the couple at the heart of this," she told reporters on Tuesday. "We all know that the IVF journey can be a very long, torturous one. It can be very expensive as well." In a notice to the stock market, Monash IVF said it would set up additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards. It has informed the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee certifying body and insurers, declaring it expects the mix-up to fall within its insurance coverage. The company's profit guidance remains unchanged but the news sent its share price tumbling by more than 26 per cent to below 55 cents as of 3pm AEST. Monash IVF revealed in April a woman at a Brisbane facility had another patient's embryo incorrectly transferred to her because of "human error". The mistake was picked up in February after the birth parents asked for their remaining embryos to be transferred elsewhere and an extra embryo was found in storage. Monash IVF apologised, expressed confidence it was an isolated incident and hired leading barrister Fiona McLeod to lead an independent review, which has now been expanded. Alex Polyakov, a fertility specialist at Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital, said the latest stuff-up was also likely because of human error. He said the mistake in Melbourne was easier to make than the one in Brisbane but equally serious. "You have the couple's names on every embryo," the Genea Fertility Melbourne medical director told AAP. "It's not just the patient or the egg provider, it's also their partner. "I could see how this would happen." About one in 18 babies is born via IVF in Australia. Associate Professor Polyakov said the two transfer errors were the first he was aware of in Australia since the IVF industry began operating 40 years ago, although there have been high-profile cases in the US and Israel. He called for more vigilance and extra layers of protection but conceded no system could be made foolproof from a "black swan event". Shine Lawyers medical law Victorian practice lead Daniel Opare said alarm bells should be ringing across the industry. Known errors disclosed by Monash IVF raise questions about potential issues at other clinics that do not have the same reporting obligations, the medical negligence expert argued. He said Monash IVF could be exposed to lawsuits for failing in its duty of care to the patient, on top of breach of contract if the couple signed an agreement setting out which embryo was due to be transferred. The two separate errors disclosed by Monash IVF were "up there in terms of severity" compared to other previously known industry errors, he said, including embryos being damaged after trays were dropped in laboratories. "It's inexcusable," Mr Opare told AAP. Pink Elephants support group founder Samantha Payne was concerned about the impact on other couples undergoing IVF and called for a wider discussion about how clinics are run. "You'd be terrified if you were going through a round of IVF now," she said. A second embryo blunder from a major private fertility clinic has raised fresh fears about system flaws. Staff at a Monash IVF laboratory in Melbourne on Thursday transferred the wrong embryo to a woman, giving her one of her own rather than one from her partner, as they had requested. The pair is believed to be in a same-sex relationship. The company, which is based in Melbourne but has clinics around Australia, apologised to the couple and launched an internal investigation. But the Victorian Health Regulator has swooped in with its own probe of Monash IVF and how the error occurred at its Clayton site. State Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the mistake was "completely unacceptable" and the company must provide answers. "This will be quite devastating for the couple at the heart of this," she told reporters on Tuesday. "We all know that the IVF journey can be a very long, torturous one. It can be very expensive as well." In a notice to the stock market, Monash IVF said it would set up additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards. It has informed the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee certifying body and insurers, declaring it expects the mix-up to fall within its insurance coverage. The company's profit guidance remains unchanged but the news sent its share price tumbling by more than 26 per cent to below 55 cents as of 3pm AEST. Monash IVF revealed in April a woman at a Brisbane facility had another patient's embryo incorrectly transferred to her because of "human error". The mistake was picked up in February after the birth parents asked for their remaining embryos to be transferred elsewhere and an extra embryo was found in storage. Monash IVF apologised, expressed confidence it was an isolated incident and hired leading barrister Fiona McLeod to lead an independent review, which has now been expanded. Alex Polyakov, a fertility specialist at Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital, said the latest stuff-up was also likely because of human error. He said the mistake in Melbourne was easier to make than the one in Brisbane but equally serious. "You have the couple's names on every embryo," the Genea Fertility Melbourne medical director told AAP. "It's not just the patient or the egg provider, it's also their partner. "I could see how this would happen." About one in 18 babies is born via IVF in Australia. Associate Professor Polyakov said the two transfer errors were the first he was aware of in Australia since the IVF industry began operating 40 years ago, although there have been high-profile cases in the US and Israel. He called for more vigilance and extra layers of protection but conceded no system could be made foolproof from a "black swan event". Shine Lawyers medical law Victorian practice lead Daniel Opare said alarm bells should be ringing across the industry. Known errors disclosed by Monash IVF raise questions about potential issues at other clinics that do not have the same reporting obligations, the medical negligence expert argued. He said Monash IVF could be exposed to lawsuits for failing in its duty of care to the patient, on top of breach of contract if the couple signed an agreement setting out which embryo was due to be transferred. The two separate errors disclosed by Monash IVF were "up there in terms of severity" compared to other previously known industry errors, he said, including embryos being damaged after trays were dropped in laboratories. "It's inexcusable," Mr Opare told AAP. Pink Elephants support group founder Samantha Payne was concerned about the impact on other couples undergoing IVF and called for a wider discussion about how clinics are run. "You'd be terrified if you were going through a round of IVF now," she said. A second embryo blunder from a major private fertility clinic has raised fresh fears about system flaws. Staff at a Monash IVF laboratory in Melbourne on Thursday transferred the wrong embryo to a woman, giving her one of her own rather than one from her partner, as they had requested. The pair is believed to be in a same-sex relationship. The company, which is based in Melbourne but has clinics around Australia, apologised to the couple and launched an internal investigation. But the Victorian Health Regulator has swooped in with its own probe of Monash IVF and how the error occurred at its Clayton site. State Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the mistake was "completely unacceptable" and the company must provide answers. "This will be quite devastating for the couple at the heart of this," she told reporters on Tuesday. "We all know that the IVF journey can be a very long, torturous one. It can be very expensive as well." In a notice to the stock market, Monash IVF said it would set up additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards. It has informed the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee certifying body and insurers, declaring it expects the mix-up to fall within its insurance coverage. The company's profit guidance remains unchanged but the news sent its share price tumbling by more than 26 per cent to below 55 cents as of 3pm AEST. Monash IVF revealed in April a woman at a Brisbane facility had another patient's embryo incorrectly transferred to her because of "human error". The mistake was picked up in February after the birth parents asked for their remaining embryos to be transferred elsewhere and an extra embryo was found in storage. Monash IVF apologised, expressed confidence it was an isolated incident and hired leading barrister Fiona McLeod to lead an independent review, which has now been expanded. Alex Polyakov, a fertility specialist at Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital, said the latest stuff-up was also likely because of human error. He said the mistake in Melbourne was easier to make than the one in Brisbane but equally serious. "You have the couple's names on every embryo," the Genea Fertility Melbourne medical director told AAP. "It's not just the patient or the egg provider, it's also their partner. "I could see how this would happen." About one in 18 babies is born via IVF in Australia. Associate Professor Polyakov said the two transfer errors were the first he was aware of in Australia since the IVF industry began operating 40 years ago, although there have been high-profile cases in the US and Israel. He called for more vigilance and extra layers of protection but conceded no system could be made foolproof from a "black swan event". Shine Lawyers medical law Victorian practice lead Daniel Opare said alarm bells should be ringing across the industry. Known errors disclosed by Monash IVF raise questions about potential issues at other clinics that do not have the same reporting obligations, the medical negligence expert argued. He said Monash IVF could be exposed to lawsuits for failing in its duty of care to the patient, on top of breach of contract if the couple signed an agreement setting out which embryo was due to be transferred. The two separate errors disclosed by Monash IVF were "up there in terms of severity" compared to other previously known industry errors, he said, including embryos being damaged after trays were dropped in laboratories. "It's inexcusable," Mr Opare told AAP. Pink Elephants support group founder Samantha Payne was concerned about the impact on other couples undergoing IVF and called for a wider discussion about how clinics are run. "You'd be terrified if you were going through a round of IVF now," she said. A second embryo blunder from a major private fertility clinic has raised fresh fears about system flaws. Staff at a Monash IVF laboratory in Melbourne on Thursday transferred the wrong embryo to a woman, giving her one of her own rather than one from her partner, as they had requested. The pair is believed to be in a same-sex relationship. The company, which is based in Melbourne but has clinics around Australia, apologised to the couple and launched an internal investigation. But the Victorian Health Regulator has swooped in with its own probe of Monash IVF and how the error occurred at its Clayton site. State Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the mistake was "completely unacceptable" and the company must provide answers. "This will be quite devastating for the couple at the heart of this," she told reporters on Tuesday. "We all know that the IVF journey can be a very long, torturous one. It can be very expensive as well." In a notice to the stock market, Monash IVF said it would set up additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards. It has informed the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee certifying body and insurers, declaring it expects the mix-up to fall within its insurance coverage. The company's profit guidance remains unchanged but the news sent its share price tumbling by more than 26 per cent to below 55 cents as of 3pm AEST. Monash IVF revealed in April a woman at a Brisbane facility had another patient's embryo incorrectly transferred to her because of "human error". The mistake was picked up in February after the birth parents asked for their remaining embryos to be transferred elsewhere and an extra embryo was found in storage. Monash IVF apologised, expressed confidence it was an isolated incident and hired leading barrister Fiona McLeod to lead an independent review, which has now been expanded. Alex Polyakov, a fertility specialist at Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital, said the latest stuff-up was also likely because of human error. He said the mistake in Melbourne was easier to make than the one in Brisbane but equally serious. "You have the couple's names on every embryo," the Genea Fertility Melbourne medical director told AAP. "It's not just the patient or the egg provider, it's also their partner. "I could see how this would happen." About one in 18 babies is born via IVF in Australia. Associate Professor Polyakov said the two transfer errors were the first he was aware of in Australia since the IVF industry began operating 40 years ago, although there have been high-profile cases in the US and Israel. He called for more vigilance and extra layers of protection but conceded no system could be made foolproof from a "black swan event". Shine Lawyers medical law Victorian practice lead Daniel Opare said alarm bells should be ringing across the industry. Known errors disclosed by Monash IVF raise questions about potential issues at other clinics that do not have the same reporting obligations, the medical negligence expert argued. He said Monash IVF could be exposed to lawsuits for failing in its duty of care to the patient, on top of breach of contract if the couple signed an agreement setting out which embryo was due to be transferred. The two separate errors disclosed by Monash IVF were "up there in terms of severity" compared to other previously known industry errors, he said, including embryos being damaged after trays were dropped in laboratories. "It's inexcusable," Mr Opare told AAP. Pink Elephants support group founder Samantha Payne was concerned about the impact on other couples undergoing IVF and called for a wider discussion about how clinics are run. "You'd be terrified if you were going through a round of IVF now," she said.
Herald Sun
19 hours ago
- Herald Sun
How the Melbourne All Abilities Cricket Association pulls people out of ‘very dark places'
At 25 years of age, Denis Wilkinson received a diagnosis that would change his life forever. Wilkinson was found to have McCune-Albright Syndrome, a rare and complex genetic disorder affecting the bone, skin and endocrine systems. It explained why he shot up from 5'8 to 6'8 between the ages of 15 and 22. 'I'm one in five million,' Wilkinson explained. 'I get looked after at Royal Melbourne and at Western Health medically, I see the best surgeons. My biggest problem is excess growth, because I produce so much growth hormone naturally, it's a lot of disfiguration and my bones are very soft. '(The diagnosis) was very very late and it literally changed my whole life. 'Sometimes my body, I wake up some days and I'm done before I start.' Almost poetically, around the same time Wilkinson, now aged 40, was diagnosed with McCune-Albright Syndrome some 15 years ago, a chance conversation was struck up at Moorabbin Cricket Club. It was there and then the seed for what would become the Melbourne All Abilities Cricket Association (MAACA) was planted in the mind of the competition's founder, Steve Lefebvre. In 2025, the competition celebrated its 10th season, and it has shaped the lives of Wilkinson and many others for the better. 'This has really saved a number of them,' Lefebvre said of the impact MAACA has had on its participants. 'Some of them have seen darker times and playing within a club has got them connected which is absolutely fantastic, they don't become one of those unfortunate statistics, they're actually enjoying themselves among the community like everyone else. 'A number of the clubs have helped them get jobs, they've helped them go through pathway processes to the Victorian team.' The association now has 16 clubs, 24 teams and more than 300 players across Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and greater Melbourne. Crucially, every program must be embedded within a 'mainstream' local cricket club to foster a sense of belonging. Lefebvre is a retired police officer of 41 years who developed Victoria Police's mental health strategy, while he was also recognised with a 'Victorian Local Hero' nomination at the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards for his work with MAACA. He said the association's growth was rapid, but would be capped at three new clubs per season so it 'doesn't get out of hand'. 'We've got different divisions according to different skill levels and different disability levels, right up to the high functioning guys,' he explained. Humble beginnings Vickram Jholl was the player who inspired the creation of an all-abilities program at Moorabbin, and later the formation of the MAACA, when his tireless and determined parents leant over the fence at cricket training and asked Lefebvre if he could help their son. In the first year there were only seven players and Lefebvre was left disappointed, but steadily that number grew. The next year there were 19, then 29, then 44, and so on. 'It just started as an idea at Moorabbin Cricket Club about 15 years ago and it all started to blossom, now we're putting the reins on it because it's just exploding … when you see it you're absolutely hooked,' Lefebvre said. 'The interest got so big that we decided to set up a competition. It's a program first and a competition second. 'It must be embedded within a mainstream cricket club, it can't be an all abilities club, and that's all about integration and inclusion basically … all our all abilities players come to Moorabbin functions. 'The cultural change has taken place many years ago and it's just part of the everyday furniture at Moorabbin which is fantastic. It's nothing new for a First XI player to be sitting next to an all abilities player and having a chat. 'That was the idea of what we wanted to do and that was the way it worked out which was great.' Vickram's parents Arjan and Gobind Jholl had been searching tirelessly for an opportunity for Vickram – who has autism and an intellectual disability – to play cricket when they met Lefebvre. 'It took us a while to get a club that would take in people with all abilities,' Arjan explained. 'Vickram was really interested in cricket … he kept saying he wanted to play cricket. 'We went around door knocking, got the local council involved as well, it took us around a year. 'Everyone was telling us we can't take it on, it's too hard basket, it's a big liability, but Steve gave it a go and said 'I'll do it', and he did. He's our saviour, we weren't going to give up until we found someone but we were lucky that Steve gave us a go.' The impact Vickram and Wilkinson are just two cases out of hundreds of MAACA shaping a disadvantaged life for the better. 'It has made a lot of difference … just that sense of belonging, giving everyone a go, you're not judging,' Arjan said of the impact on Vickram. 'Everyone has a goal no matter what your ability is, he's so proud to put on his uniform on match days and he thinks, 'right, I'm a hot shot cricket player'. It has boosted his self esteem, his morale. 'He's a different boy altogether.' Wilkinson has only been playing in MAACA for the past two seasons but said it had been 'amazing' for him. 'It's given me another path and another step in life, people go through a lot of things in life, but it's all about a team environment and getting out there, and community,' said Wilkinson, who plays for Seddon Cricket Club. 'Some days I wake up and my head is just pounding and my face is swollen, it's just life. 'Cricket helps me and gives me a purpose on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, to me it gives me something to look forward to, then a week's gone like that.' 'My day to day life is very boring unfortunately, I'm on the disability pension and when I'm really sick I don't leave the house, or might see the boys at cricket and socialise. 'Outside of cricket I struggle a lot on the medical side of it. Cricket and golf are the things that get me out of the house to come and socialise, it makes me a better person. 'The people at Seddon love and respect all of our all abilities players, they put a smile on our face and we put a smile on their face.' An action as simple as Wilkinson putting his body behind the ball in the outfield can cause injury for him given his softer bones, while he also needs injections once a month, has to take tablets everyday, and has diabetes. 'We could go on forever …' he trails off. Wilkinson has also struggled with alcohol as a result of his condition, but went cold turkey in his first season with MAACA. 'I get on it a bit, I don't work most days and it gets boring, cricket does help. I can't say so much positive things with MAACA … I'm very fortunate. 'Last year I did so well,' Wilkinson said. 'This year hasn't been great because when I get sick I get on it a bit too much, but that's life.' Wilkinson added that his diagnosis 'took a big toll' on him. 'I'm lucky I've got an amazing family, my mum and dad, If I didn't have them … I've been in very dark places in life and if it wasn't for my family and friends and cricket and golf, it was very, very, very hard. 'Everyone gets dealt a shit card and might feel shit on 'x' day, but you've got to wake up and have some positives.'


West Australian
a day ago
- West Australian
Monash IVF admits to mistake after wrong embryo implanted
Fertility treatment company Monash IVF has admitted to a second IVF mistake, again putting the wrong embryo into a patient. The latest incident happened on June 5 at the company's Clayton clinic in Melbourne's southeast. 'A patient's own embryo was incorrectly transferred to that patient, contrary to the treatment plan which designated the transfer of an embryo of the patient's partner,' Monash IVF said in a statement to the ASX on Tuesday. 'Monash IVF is conducting an internal investigation into the incident. 'Monash IVF has extended its sincere apologies to the affected couple, and we continue to support them,' the statement reads. In 2023, Monash IVF staff in Brisbane mistakenly implanted the wrong embryo into another woman; the recipient of the embryo gave birth to the child. Monash IVF reported this incident to authorities and news of the error broke in April this year. Victorian barrister Fiona McLeod is running an independent review into the Brisbane incident. Ms McLeod's investigation is being widened, Tuesday's announcement says. '(Monash IVF) has also extended the scope of the independent review … noting that the different incidents occurred some years apart. Monash IVF will provide an update on the findings of the expanded review in due course,' the statement reads. The company said checks and balances were also being improved 'commencing immediately'. 'Monash IVF will implement interim additional verification processes and patient confirmation safeguards over and above normal practice and electronic witness systems, to ensure patients and clinicians have every confidence in its process,' the statement read. 'Whilst industry leading electronic witness systems have and are being rolled out across Monash IVF, there remains instances and circumstances whereby manual witnessing is required.' Monash IVF alerted the regulators to the incident, the company said. More to come