Hours each day in an iron lung kept her breathing, her will to live kept her alive

Author: Ana FaguyPublished on: July 14, 2026Country: United States
HealthSociety & Lifestyle
Hours each day in an iron lung kept her breathing, her will to live kept her alive

Martha Lillard, the last polio patient in the US who used an iron lung, died at age 78 in Oklahoma. She used the machine for 73 years but managed to drive, paint, and care for her beagles. Her sister attributes her death to long Covid-19 effects. Lillard survived polio contracted at age five and lived an active life despite limitations.

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