Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78
The last American polio survivor dependent on an iron lung has died, marking the end of a medical era.
Answered
Who was Martha Lillard?
She was the last known American polio survivor who relied on an iron lung for breathing assistance.
Why was she using an iron lung?
She contracted polio as a child, leaving her dependent on the device—a rare treatment used before the polio vaccine became available.
Are there any other iron lung users left in the U.S.?
Coverage confirms she was the final known survivor using the technology in the country.
Where it stands
Martha Lillard, 78, died in Oklahoma after spending most of her life using an iron lung—a device that assisted breathing for polio patients. Coverage confirms she was the final known U.S. survivor relying on the technology, which became obsolete after the polio vaccine’s widespread adoption in the 1950s.
Major outlets including *STAT*, *The Guardian*, *CNN*, and *AP News* have highlighted her passing, with some noting the iron lung’s breakdown contributed to her death. Local media like *KFOR* and *KOSU* have emphasized her life story and the historical significance of her condition.
No further survivors using iron lungs remain in the U.S., according to reports. Attention may now shift to medical history archives and polio vaccine advocacy efforts.
Synthesized by headlinez.news from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 41d ago.
The reporting (26)
- Obit Martha Lillard Springfield News-Sun · 44d ago
- Martha Lillard, last U.S. polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma STAT · 44d ago
- Last US polio patient using an iron lung to survive dies in Oklahoma The Independent · 44d ago
- Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma WMTW · 44d ago
- Martha Lillard, last known US polio survivor using iron lung, dies aged 78 The Guardian · 45d ago
- Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma KCRA · 45d ago
- Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies The Times of India · 45d ago
- Last American to use an iron lung dies at 78 years old after childhood polio diagnosis Fox News · 45d ago
- Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos · 45d ago
- Oklahoma woman, the last American in an iron lung, dies at 78 KFOR · 45d ago
- Last U.S. polio patient with an iron lung dies at 78 in Oklahoma NBC News · 45d ago
- Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma CNN · 45d ago
- Oklahoma woman Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dead at 78 New York Post · 45d ago
- Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma AP News · 46d ago
- The remarkable life story behind America’s last iron lung user Cleveland.com · 46d ago
- Last U.S. Polio Survivor in an Iron Lung Dies After the Machine Began to Break Down and No One Could Repair It Yahoo · 46d ago
- Last American in Iron Lung Dies at 78 Newser · 47d ago
- Martha Lillard, last American to use iron lung, dies at 78 WSOC TV · 47d ago
- Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78 KRON4 · 47d ago
- Last U.S. Polio Survivor in an Iron Lung Dies After the Machine Began to Break Down and No One Could Repair It People.com · 47d ago
- Martha Lillard, last American to use iron lung, dies at 78 KIRO 7 News Seattle · 48d ago
- The last living woman with an "iron lung" died in the USA Наша Ніва · 48d ago
- Martha Lillard, last American using iron lung, dies in Shawnee KOSU · 48d ago
- Oklahoma woman, the last American in an iron lung, dies at 78 KFOR.com · 48d ago
- Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78 NewsNation · 48d ago
- Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78 KXAN Austin · 48d ago
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