# Last US polio patient using iron lung dies at 78

Martha Lillard, who relied on an iron lung for over 60 years after contracting polio as a child, died at her home in Oklahoma at age 78. She was the last person in the United States to depend on the now-obsolete ventilator for daily survival. Her death marks the end of an era in medical history and underscores the life-saving impact of polio vaccines.

**Importance:** 4/5

## Sources

### Technology
- [Hacker News](https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/martha-lillard-us-polio-patient-iron-lung-dies-134668491) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:32:15 +0000

### World
- [The Guardian World](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/12/martha-lillard-last-polio-survivor-iron-lung-death) — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 18:37:11 GMT