Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma
Summary
Martha Lillard, the last known U.S. polio patient who used an iron lung, died at age 78 in Oklahoma. She lived with polio since age 5, relying on the iron lung to breathe, and passed away in June 2026, likely due to complications from long COVID.Key Facts
- Martha Lillard was diagnosed with polio at age 5 and used an iron lung to breathe.
- She died on June 26, 2026, at age 78 in Oklahoma.
- Lillard was the last U.S. polio patient still using an iron lung machine.
- Polio vaccines, introduced in 1955, greatly reduced polio cases in the U.S., leading to the disease’s elimination in 1979.
- Despite paralysis in her right arm, she lived independently for many years and maintained communication using phone and internet technology.
- She married Baha Salh after meeting him online and communicating for over 20 years.
- Lillard contracted COVID-19 twice and suffered from long-haul COVID, which affected her lung capacity and contributed to her death.
- She wrote poems, composed songs, volunteered for animal rescue, and updated her own obituary before passing.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
