Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78

Martha Lillard, the last known US polio survivor to rely on an iron lung, died on June 26 in Oklahoma at age 78. Source: AP She contracted polio at age 5 and used the iron lung for 73 years, surpassing doctors' expectations that she would not live past 20. Source: Guardian

A life of resilience

Despite being paralyzed from the neck down, Lillard led a remarkably independent life. She attended school via intercom, drove a vehicle, painted, and cared for beagles. Source: BBC Her family modified a trailer for road trips, and she married Baha Salh in February 2024 after meeting him online. Source: CNN

Impact of COVID-19

Lillard contracted COVID-19 twice during the pandemic, which her sister Cindy McVey says contributed to her death. The official death certificate lists causes as chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome. Source: AP In her final two years, she required the iron lung nearly 24 hours a day. Source: CNN

Legacy

Lillard wrote her own obituary, describing herself as a Humane Society volunteer and "avid Beagle lover." Source: CNN Her death marks the end of an era for polio survivors in the US, where vaccines have eliminated the disease since 1979. Source: AP