An important figure in the 2024 British drama HappinessPatrick Steptoe’s fate after the events depicted in the film highlights his important achievements in the development of in vitro fertilization. Directed by Ben Taylor, Happiness depicts 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 film offers a profoundly accurate depiction of the true story of the development of IVFwhich led to the successful birth of the first IVF baby in 1978.
The cast of Happiness features Bill Nighy as Patrick Steptoe, who meets with Robert Edwards and Jean Purdy to develop in vitro fertilization. The film debuted with a high score on Rotten Tomatoes and was praised by critics for its historical accuracy and performance. Happiness portrays how Patrick Steptoe played a significant role in the development of IVF. The real-life Steptoe continued his work after the end of Happinessending up receiving many compliments for his work. Here’s what happened to Patrick Steptoe in his later years.
Patrick Steptoe co-founded the Bourn Hall Clinic and has received numerous honors and awards for his IVF work
Patrick Steptoe was honored for his work in 1979
Patrick Steptoe’s contributions to the world of medicine go beyond Happiness. All over Happiness, Patrick Steptoe is shown working as an obstetrician at 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 infertility issues and developing in vitro fertilization for women. The film depicts the media scrutiny and public criticism they faced during their studiesbut his work turned out to be successful. The first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born in 1978.
After his successful pioneering of in vitro fertilization, Steptoe co-founded the Bourn Hall Clinic in 1980 alongside Edwards and Purdy. This allowed them the opportunity to train others in understanding IVF and to further advance their studies into the treatment. He served as Medical Director of the Bourn Hall Clinic for 8 years. Steptoe has also received several awards for his scientific achievements. In 1979, he was awarded the Golden Plate Award at the American Academy of Achievement and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1987.
Patrick Steptoe died in 1988, aged 74
Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy were honored at the Bourn Hall clinic
In the 1988 New Year tributes, Patrick Steptoe was appointed Commander of the British Empire for his work in the development of in vitro fertilization. He served as Chief Medical Officer at Canterbury until his death on 21 March 1988 (via Embrião Project Encyclopedia). Steptoe was 74 years old when he died, and his family later revealed that he had been diagnosed with cancer (via The New York Times). Although Robert Edwards received the Nobel Prize in 2010 for his contribution to the discovery of in vitro fertilization, 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, to honor the achievements of Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy in the development of IVF.
In 2013, a plaque was unveiled at the Bourn Hall Clinic for the first IVF baby, Louise Brown. It honors the achievements of Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy in the development of in vitro fertilization (via Royston Corvo). A plaque was also installed, in 2019, at Steptoe’s family home in Whitby, Oxfordshire. In 2012, her son, Andrew Steptoe, collaborated with Ruth Edwards on a book, A question of lifewhich describes his father’s work in the field of science. As portrayed in Joy, this remains one of the greatest medical advances of the 20th century.
Sources: Embrião Project Encyclopedia, The New York Times, Royston Corvo