Oklahoma polio survivor, final iron lung patient in the U.S., dies at 78
TL;DR
Martha Lillard, who contracted polio at age 5 and spent much of her life in an iron lung, died in Shawnee, Oklahoma on June 26 at 78. She was the last U.S. polio patient to rely on the iron lung, defying doctors’ early predictions, and her sister says long-haul COVID-19 contributed to her death; the death certificate lists chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome as causes. Lillard led a mostly homebound life, but stayed connected online, even meeting her husband after years of online chats.
- Oklahoma woman Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dead at 78 New York Post
- Last U.S. Polio Survivor in an Iron Lung Dies After the Machine Started to Break Down and They Couldn’t Find Anyone to Repair It People.com
- Oklahoma woman, the last American in an iron lung, dies at 78 KFOR.com
- The remarkable life story behind America’s last iron lung user Cleveland.com
- Martha Lillard, last American using iron lung, dies in Shawnee KOSU
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