Martha Lillard, the last known U.S. polio patient who relied on an iron lung, has died at age 78 in Oklahoma. Her sister, Cindy McVey, confirmed her passing on June 26, attributing it to long-haul COVID-19 effects, though the official cause of death listed chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome.
Lillard contracted polio at age 5 and depended on the iron lung, a cylindrical machine that forced air into her lungs, to survive. Despite medical projections that she would not live past 20, she lived a full life, attending school through adaptive methods and even driving for a time. Her family adapted to her needs, including custom trailers for travel and accommodations for her iron lung.
Polio was once a feared disease in the U.S., causing widespread paralysis before vaccines became available in 1955. The CDC reports that vaccination campaigns reduced cases to fewer than 10 annually by the 1970s, leading to the U.S. declaring polio eliminated in 1979. Lillard’s case highlights the lasting impact of the disease and the resilience of those affected.