Martha Lillard, Last Iron Lung Patient, Battled Polio with Resilience Until Age 78

Martha Lillard, the last known polio patient in the United States to rely on an iron lung, passed away at the age of 78 on June 26, 2026. Despite living most of her life in this large metal device, Lillard's determination and will to live allowed her to lead an active life filled with creativity and love, as detailed by her sister, Cindy McVey.

Life in an Iron Lung: Overcoming Challenges

Diagnosed with polio in the mid-1950s, Lillard was only five years old when she first felt the effects of the disease. "Martha woke up and she couldn't lift her head off the pillow, she said she knew right away that she had polio, because she heard so much about it," McVey recalled. The iron lung, which uses a negative pressure system to assist breathing, became a vital part of her life.

Unlike many children who feared the machine, Lillard found comfort in it. "It recharged her and made her feel better," McVey said. For over 73 years, Lillard used the iron lung, showcasing her resilience by driving a modified vehicle and engaging in painting, all while caring for her beloved beagles.

Innovative Solutions for Independence

With the support of her family, Lillard was able to maintain a level of independence that many iron lung patients could not. Her uncle and grandfather engineered a device that allowed her to enter and exit the iron lung independently. "She could do things most iron lung patients couldn’t do," McVey stated, highlighting Lillard's resourcefulness.

Her vehicle was retrofitted to accommodate her limited mobility, with the steering wheel positioned in her lap and turn signals accessible on the floor. This ingenuity allowed Lillard to experience life fully, despite her physical limitations.

The Legacy of Polio and Vaccine Hesitancy

Polio, a disease that primarily affected children, caused widespread concern in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to the World Health Organization, one in 200 polio infections results in irreversible paralysis, with a mortality rate of 5-10% among those affected. The introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955 drastically reduced the incidence of the disease, leading to its elimination in the US by 1979.

However, the rise in vaccine hesitancy poses a new threat to public health. McVey expressed her fears, saying, "Polio is terrible... We had it under control here and now we have all these people who aren’t vaccinating their children." The echoes of Lillard's battle against polio serve as a reminder of the importance of vaccination in preventing disease.