Associated Press July 11, 2026 • 00:58

Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma - AP News

By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher

Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma - AP News

Martha Lillard, the last U.S. polio patient using an iron lung, has died at 78 in Oklahoma. Her sister, Cindy McVey, attributes her death to long-haul COVID-19. Diagnosed with polio at 5, Lillard lived a remarkable life despite her challenges. She attended sc…

Martha Lillard had just turned 5 when she was diagnosed with polio and depended on an iron lung to live. She died June 26 in Oklahoma, the last U.S. polio patient who used the machine, her sister sai… [+3477 chars]

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