The film Joy, which has just premiered on Netflix, charts the extraordinary journey of three British scientists in the 60s and 70s who were instrumental in developing the revolutionary IVF treatment.
The biopic stars Bill Nighy as Patrick Steptoe, Thomasin McKenzie as Jean Purdy, and James Norton as Robert Edwards, portraying the real-life trailblazers responsible for the birth of the first 'test tube baby'.
Patrick Steptoe was a pioneering surgeon, Jean Purdy a dedicated nurse, and Robert Edwards an innovative scientist. The narrative was crafted by Rachel Mason and Jack Thorne, a husband-and-wife team who drew inspiration from their personal IVF journey to conceive their son.
Joy recounts the incredible tale of Louise Joy Brown's birth in 1978 the world's inaugural IVF baby and the relentless decade-long quest that made it happen. The story unfolds through the eyes of Jean, an embryologist, who teamed up with Robert and Patrick to solve the infertility puzzle using in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Netflix shared: "The film celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it follows this maverick trio of visionaries who overcame tremendous odds and opposition to realise their dream, and in doing so allowed millions of people to dream with them."
The historical Patrick Steptoe went on to become the Director of the Centre for Human Reproduction, Oldham in 1969, where he harvested ova from infertile women who viewed him as their final chance at achieving pregnancy.
Jean started her career with Steptoe and Robert Edwards as a lab technician, gradually becoming an indispensable part of the team.
When she took a break to look after her ill mother, the work had to be put on hold due to her pivotal role.
Despite facing significant criticism and opposition, it was Jean who first observed the fertilised egg, destined to become Louise Brown, dividing into new cells.
Louise's birth in 1978 altered public opinion, leading to the establishment of the Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridgeshire in 1980 by the team.
Throughout Jean's career, a total of 370 children were conceived via IVF. Following the release of Edwards' papers in the 2010s, Jean's contributions to IVF were finally acknowledged publicly.
Tragically, Jean died from skin cancer at the young age of 39, after a brief illness.
Despite her crucial role in the development of IVF, her contributions were largely overlooked, possibly due to her untimely death or even her gender.
Louise, the world's first IVF baby, is now 46 years old, married with two children, and Robert Edwards even attended her wedding.
Natalie Brown, Louise's younger sister, was also born through IVF four years later.
Joy is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
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