An important figure in the 2024 British dramaJoy, Patrick Steptoe’s fate after the events depicted in the film underscores his important achievements in the development of IVF. Directed by Ben Taylor,Joydepicts the true events of how three scientific researchers studied the issues of infertility in women and worked together to develop in vitro fertilization in England.The movie offers a deeply accurate representation of the real story of the development of IVF, which ultimately led to the successful birth of the first IVF baby in 1978.
The cast ofJoyfeatures Bill Nighy as Patrick Steptoe, who meets with Robert Edwards and Jean Purdy, to develop IVF. The movie debuted with a high score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been praised by critics for its historical accuracy and performance.Joydepicts how Patrick Steptoe played a significant role throughout the development of IVF. The real-life Steptoe continued his work afterthe ending ofJoy, ultimately receiving lots of accolades for his work. Here’s what happened to Patrick Steptoe in his later years.
Patrick Steptoe Co-Founded Bourn Hall Clinic & Received Several Honors & Awards For His IVF Work
Patrick Steptoe Was Honored For His Work In 1979
Patrick Steptoe’s contributions to the world of medicine extend beyond the events ofJoy. ThroughoutJoy,Patrick Steptoe is shown working as an obstetrician at the Oldham & District General Hospital in England, where he is approached by physiologist Robert Edwards and Jean Purdy, a nurse. Along with Edwards and Purdy, Steptoe worked on examining the issues of infertility and the development of in vitro fertilization for women.The movie depicts the media scrutiny and public criticism they faced during their studies, but their work was ultimately successful.The first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born in 1978.
Following their successful pioneering of IVF,Steptoe co-founded the Bourn Hall Clinic in 1980 alongside Edwards and Purdy. This allowed them the opportunity to train others in the understanding of IVF and to further advance their studies in the treatment. He served as the Medical Director of the Bourn Hall Clinic for 8 years. Steptoe also received several awards for his accomplishments in science. In 1979,he was awarded the Golden Plate Award at the American Academy of Achievementand was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1987.
Patrick Steptoe Died In 1988 At Age 74
Steptoe, Edwards And Purdy Were Commemorated At Bourn Hall Clinic
In the 1988 New Years Honors,Patrick Steptoe was appointed a Commander of the British Empirefor his work in developing IVF. He served as a Medical Director in Canterbury until his death on March, 21, 1988 (viaEmbryo Project Encyclopedia). Steptoe was 74 at the time of his death, and his family subsequently revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer (viaThe New York Times). While Robert Edwards was awarded a Nobel Prize in 2010 for his contribution to the discovery of IVF, Steptoe and Jean Purdy were not eligible because Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously.
A plaque was unveiled at the Bourn Hall Clinic by the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, in honor of Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy’s accomplishments in IVF development.
In 2013,a plaque was unveiled at the Bourn Hall Clinic by thefirst IVF baby, Louise Brown. It honors Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy’s accomplishments in IVF development (viaRoyston Crow). A plaque was also installed, in 2019, at Steptoe’s family home in Whitby, Oxfordshire. In 2012, his son, Andrew Steptoe, collaborated with Ruth Edwards on a book,A Matter of Life, which describes his father’s work in the field of science. As depicted in Joy, this remains one of the biggest medical advancements in the 20th century.
Sources:Embryo Project Encyclopedia,The New York Times,Royston Crow
Joy
Joy (2024) is a film directed by Ben Taylor, focusing on the challenges faced by a nurse, a scientist, and a surgeon as they confront societal and institutional resistance in their pioneering effort to achieve the world’s first test tube baby, Louise Joy Brown.
