Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s period drama film ‘Joy’ chronicles the efforts of three pioneers to invent the in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure that paves the way for the birth of Louise Joy Brown. As the movie depicts, Robert Edwards, Jean Purdy, and Patrick Steptoe confronted and dealt with several challenges in conducting IVF experiments, which helped Lesley and John Brown have a baby after a long wait of nine years. Louise was then celebrated as the face of IVF across the world. Her photographs filled the cover pages of newspapers and magazines in various countries, inspiring millions to rely on the procedure to nurture a child!
Louise Joy Brown Grew Up in a Loving Household in Bristol
The first few years of Louise Joy Brown’s existence were nothing but hectic. She toured across the world with Lesley and John Brown, her parents. While visiting several countries, such as Japan and the US, she was welcomed as a “special baby.” At the age of four, she watched the videotape of her birth and listened to her parents detailing how she was born with the help of Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe. Even though Louise couldn’t understand what the IVF procedure was at the time, interviews and media productions eventually helped her grasp the truth behind her conception.
The attention Louise received as a child ended when she started attending school. Lesley and John were committed to giving her an ordinary childhood away from the spotlight. The family was part of a close-knit community in South Bristol, England, which also helped her to lead a peaceful life as a child. While growing up, Louise dealt with “very little bullying or name-calling,” which made her life easier. Even though she was special in many ways, this ordinary upbringing was integral to leading a grounded, calm life for many years. When she was four, she welcomed her sister, Natalie, to the world as the 40th IVF baby.
Natalie lessened the burden placed on Louise’s shoulders as far as the spotlight was concerned. The two sisters played and grew together in the comfort of their home, watching the classic soap opera ‘Home and Away’ and going shopping occasionally. She bid adieu to her father, John, in December 2006. He passed away at the age of 64 due to lung cancer. Over five years later, in June 2012, Louise’s mother, Lesley, passed on after suffering from complications that arose due to a gallbladder infection. Even though her history-making parents are no longer with her, she continues to celebrate their contribution to the invention of IVF.
Louise Joy Brown is a Proud Mother of Two Today
Louise Brown shares her life with her husband, Wesley Mullinder, and their two children, Cameron and Aiden Mullinder. The husband and wife met for the first time in 2002 while the former was working as a nightclub doorman. It took him a few months to learn that she was the world’s first IVF baby. Interestingly, Wesley also had a surprise to share with Louise. He told her that he used to live across the road from the family house of the Browns. As an 8-year-old, he was even part of the large crowd who witnessed her arrival at her home for the first time after her delivery in a hospital in Oldham.
Louise and Wesley tied the knot in 2004. They welcomed their first son, Cameron, two years later, following a natural conception. In 2013, she gave birth to their second son, Aiden, who was also conceived naturally. Since Louise was born through IVF, her ability to naturally conceive had always been a question many around the world have raised before she gave birth to Cameron. She was even asked whether she would rely on IVF if she couldn’t have a baby on her own, and she never had to think twice about it. “Obviously, I wasn’t thinking about it then, but yes, I absolutely would have,” Louise told The Telegraph.
Louise continues to live in Bristol with her family. As a proud mother, she sent her youngest, Aiden, to a new school in September 2024. Even though she remains a face of IVF even today, motherhood is a priority for her. “I am lucky that I was able to conceive naturally, and I can not imagine what life would be like without my two boys,” she told Bristol Old Vic. When she is not spending time with her loved ones, Louise works in a bakery on the weekdays.
Louise Joy Brown Champions IVF Across the World
Even though nearly five decades have passed since her birth, Louise Brown is one of the most prominent figures when it comes to IVF. As an ambassador, she represents Bourn Hall, the world’s first IVF clinic founded by Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards. She is also an ambassador of Joys & Beginnings, a fertility initiative introduced by Apollo Hospitals, India. She is a speaker who discusses IVF and fertility across the world as well. Louise has recently visited numerous countries to promote and advocate for IVF, including Germany and the Czech Republic. She has met with other personalities who were conceived by in vitro fertilization, including Elizabeth Carr, to talk about their experiences.
Louise has appeared in various media productions to discuss her experiences and the significance of IVF. She is also the celebrated author behind the books ‘Louise Brown: My Life As the World’s First Test-Tube Baby’ and ‘Louise Brown: 40 Years of IVF.’ In addition to Netflix’s ‘Joy,’ her life saga was brought to life by Gareth Farr and Matthew Dunster in the play ‘A Child of Science.’ Bristol Old Vic, the oldest continuously working theatre in England, produced the drama by collaborating with Louise. She remains committed to sharing her story with the world to challenge the stigma and prejudices associated with IVF procedures that continue to exist even today.
Louise Joy Brown Remained in Touch With Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe Until Their Deaths
‘Joy’ is an immensely personal project for Louise Brown since it celebrates three people who made her birth possible. While she was growing up, she remained in touch with Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe, who were like “grandfathers” to her. Even though the latter died when she was very young, she was able to spend time with him and appear in the British talk show ‘Wogan’ together. On the other hand, Edwards was part of her life for decades. “Bob Edwards, I was able to get to know as an adult. He came to my wedding and was the first person I rang when I got pregnant after my parents. I knew him and his family as friends,” she added in the Bristol Old Vic interview.
Louise named her second son “Aiden Patrick Robert Mullinder” to honor the significance of Steptoe and Edwards in her life. Because Jean Purdy passed away before she turned seven, she couldn’t get to know her well. Since ‘Joy’ chronicles the efforts and sacrifices of these personalities, the film is special to her. She attended the world premiere of the movie at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2024, along with the stars and crew members of the project. After watching it, Louise described the film as “emotional” and brilliant.
The experience of attending the premiere of the movie was an extraordinary experience for Louise. “I’m a very normal person most of the time, so going on a red carpet, meeting celebrities, watching my birth on screen. Surreal,” she added to The Telegraph. She had been waiting for its Netflix release to watch it again with her husband and children. As ‘Joy’ acknowledges the relevance and significance of three pioneers in the field of science and physiology, Louise remains committed to advocating for their invention that changed the lives of not only her family but also millions of others worldwide.
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