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Last known US polio survivor using iron lung dies at 78
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Last known US polio survivor using iron lung dies at 78
Martha Lillard, who relied on an iron lung for breathing after contracting polio as a child, has died in Oklahoma at age 78.
- Lillard died on 26 June in Oklahoma, according to an online obituary.
- She contracted polio at age five and used the iron lung machine to breathe for most of her life.
- Cindy McVey, Lillard's sister, said the death certificate lists chronic pulmonary failure and post-polio syndrome as causes, and she believes a long-term case of Covid-19 contributed.
- Two years earlier, Paul Alexander, another long-term iron lung user, died at age 78.
Latest developments
- Lillard's sister said she lived a rich life despite the iron lung, including driving, painting, and caring for her beagles.
- Her sister noted that Lillard's will to live and resilience defined her life.
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2 outlets — read the original reporting
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