What happened to Jean Purdy? The true story behind Netflix's Joy

Netflix's new film Joy examines the true story of the creation of IVF, which was pioneered by scientists Jean Purdy, Robert Edwards, and Patrick Steptoe.

The movie charts the work of the embryologists who helped pioneer fertility treatment in the 1970s, with the movie helping to recognise the work of Purdy whose contribution to the medical breakthrough was largely forgotten. James Norton portrays Edwards and is joined in the cast by Thomasin McKenzie, who plays Purdy, with Bill Nighy playing Steptoe.

Here is everything that you need to know about Joy and the true story behind it.

What is the true story behind Netflix movie Joy?

Joy examines the work that British nurse Purdy, scientist Edwards, and obstetrician Steptoe did to create in vitro fertilisation (IVF) — the process which helps couples experiencing fertility issues have a child.

Steptoe began his research into fertility treatment in 1969 at the Centre for Human Production in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The obstetrician worked with infertile women who volunteered to provide ova for Steptoe’s research, as they felt they felt he was their last hope to become pregnant.

Read more: Joy review – warm and intensely English portrayal of the birth of IVF (The Guardian, 4-min read)

Purdy joined Steptoe and Edwards as a lab technician, and during her time with them because an invaluable part of the team. Due to moral outrage at the time they were doing research it was difficult for the trip to secure funding, which meant Steptoe and Edwards had to work full time day jobs and do research in their spare time in order to finance their work.

This meant Purdy was left to manage their laboratory, work on cultures, record data and work closely with would-be parents. Her research was so vital that when she had to take a break to look after her sick mother work on IVF paused.

The first “test tube baby” was Louise Joy Brown, who was born on 25 July, 1978. Purdy was the first person to witness the fertilised egg, that would go on to become Brown, divide into new cells.

During her time working with Steptoe and Edwards, 370 IVF children were conceived.

However, despite the importance of Purdy’s work to the creation of IVF her work failed to gain the same recognition as her male counterparts. In 2013, a plaque dedicated to the work of IVF pioneers excluded Purdy’s name despite Edwards’ protests on the matter.

Edwards worked tirelessly to ensure that Purdy got the recognition she deserved too, saying at an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the creation of IVF: “There were three original pioneers in IVF and not just two.”

Edwards was awarded the Nobel prize in 2010 for his work on IVF, as the award cannot be given posthumously he was the sole recipient despite Steptoe and Purdy’s work alongside him.

What happened to IVF pioneer Jean Purdy?

Purdy died in March 1985 at the age of 39 after being diagnosed with malignant melanoma.

Her invaluable contribution to IVF treatment was finally recognised following a memorial at the world’s first IVF clinic, which she founded, Bourn Hall in 2018. Brown spoke of Purdy during the service, sharing: “My mum always talked about Jean and said she was an unsung hero and that without her IVF babies may never have been a reality.

“Jean kept in touch after I was born and wrote to mum telling her about the plans to open an IVF clinic at Bourn Hall. All the women in Oldham involved in those early days knew Jean, who kept their spirits up through difficult times. I was pleased to represent my mum in unveiling the new memorial.”

Joy continues to cement Purdy’s legacy as a pioneer of IVF treatment. Speaking to Radio Times, Nighy shared his hopes that it would succeed in doing just that: "As much as anything, if the film... well, the film does restore Jean Purdy to her rightful place in the whole development of IVF, then that's enough.

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"And that's one of the things that drew me to the film, because that phenomenon of men dismissing women's work because they don't have a penis – which is basically all they lack – is bewildering and bizarre, and we've only really just started to kind of try and redress the balance."

Joy is out in cinemas now and will premiere on Netflix on Friday, 22 November.