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

Key Points:

• Martha Lillard, the last U.S. polio patient who used an iron lung, died at age 78 in Oklahoma on June 26, with her sister attributing her death to long-haul COVID-19 complications alongside chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome.
• Diagnosed with polio at age 5, Lillard lived with severe paralysis and relied on an iron lung for breathing, adapting to life through home tutoring, remote schooling, and even driving with accommodations.
• Despite her physical challenges, Lillard led an independent and creative life, writing poetry, composing songs, volunteering for animal rescue, and connecting with her future husband online, whom she married in 2023.
• Polio, once a widespread and feared disease in the U.S., was effectively eliminated by vaccination campaigns in the late 20th century, making Lillard’s reliance on an iron lung a rare and historic circumstance.
• In recent years, Lillard’s lung capacity declined significantly, and she spent nearly all her time in the iron lung; efforts to maintain the machine ceased after her passing, marking the end of an era.