The untold personal struggle of the nurse behind the first IVF baby in Oldham revealed in touching Netflix drama Joy

The untold story of how a nurse pivotal in the world's first IVF baby being born in Oldham struggled with her own fertility issues has been captured in new Netflix drama Joy.

The 1970s-based drama follows the journey of Jean Purdy, a British nurse and embryologist, who joined forces with scientist Robert 'Bob' Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to 'unlock the puzzle of infertility' by pioneering in vitro fertilisation. The film tells the story from the medics' perspectives as they worked on developing the treatment before the first 'test-tube baby' Louise Joy Brown was born at Oldham General Hospital in July 1978.

In the heartfelt drama, Jean Purdy's own personal struggle with fertility is portrayed as she battled with endometriosis. Played by Thomasin McKenzie, religious Jean found herself estranged from her mother and rejected by her church as she struggled with the condition.

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In one emotional moment in Joy, Jean is told by Dr Steptoe, played by Bill Nighy, that she is never likely to have a baby herself even if they succeeded with the new pioneering IVF treatment. The doctor told her 'the science isn't entirely with her' as he described her endometriosis as 'very severe indeed'.

But the courageous nurse continued to work on pioneering the fertility treatment with Dr Edwards, played by Happy Valley's James Norton, after she met dozens of infertile women who saw the treatment as their last hope. Her journey saw her pause her work to care for her sick mother after the medics were also faced with criticism over the science behind IVF.

Jean would eventually become the first person to see the first fertilised egg dividing to make new cells. And she, Dr Edwards, who told her they were 'making the impossible, possible' at one point in the film, and Dr Steptoe were all present when Louise Brown was born - in what was another touching moment in Joy as the raw footage from the historic moment was shown alongside the dramatised clips.

Her birth at Oldham General, more than 45 years ago, was hailed as one of 'the most remarkable medical breakthroughs of the 20th Century'. Louise's parents, Lesley and John Brown, had been trying to conceive naturally for nine years however mum Lesley had faced complications of blocked fallopian tubes.

In November 1977, Lesley then underwent a procedure, later to become known as IVF. Louise was born on 25 July, 1978 following her conception at Dr Kershaw's Cottage Hospital in Royton.

The 46-year-old has since gone on to have a family of her own. Speaking to the M.E.N in 2017, she said: "I am just an ordinary person and don't think there is anything special about me."

Louise said she considered the true heroes of her story to be her parents, Dr Edwards and Dr Steptoe. But she urged people not to forget about Jean's role in the ground-breaking medical advancement.

Speaking in 2017, she said: "Jean Purdy was, I was told by my mum, the one who saw all the cells dividing, which is now me. Without her I don’t think IVF would have taken off.

"I know Bob and Patrick used to go home to their wives and families and I think it was Jean that used to stay and make sure everything was just as it should have been."

Joy was released on Netflix on Friday, November 22.

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