Hours Each Day in an Iron Lung Kept Her Breathing, Her Will to Live Kept Her Alive

Martha Lillard, who spent most of her life reliant on an iron lung due to polio, passed away at the age of 78. She was the last known patient in the United States to use the iconic breathing apparatus, having depended on it for 73 years.

Despite the significant physical challenges posed by the iron lung, which encased her body for hours daily, Lillard refused to let it define her life. Her resilience was remarkable; she learned to drive a modified vehicle, pursued painting, and actively cared for her beloved beagles. "[Lillard] was resilient, she would find a way, or make do," her younger sister, Cindy McVey, told the BBC.

Lillard's determination extended to regaining physical function. Following a hospital stay, she underwent extensive physical, occupational, and water therapy. These efforts allowed her to regain partial use of her left arm and some mobility in her legs. Her family actively supported her independence, with her uncle and grandfather devising a mechanism that enabled her to operate the iron lung and live alone.

Her sister noted Lillard's intellectual curiosity, describing her detailed landscape paintings and her frequent engagement with her Alexa device. Lillard also shared a long-term relationship with her partner of over 20 years, Baha Salh, whom she married shortly before her death. While Lillard's official cause of death was listed as post-polio syndrome and chronic pulmonary failure, McVey believes complications from long COVID-19 were a contributing factor.

Polio, which primarily affected children, caused widespread paralysis and death in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The development of a vaccine in 1955 led to its elimination in the US by 1979. Lillard's life story is a testament to human resilience in the face of severe illness and the advancements in medical care that allowed her to live a remarkably independent life.

“

[Lillard] was resilient, she would find a way, or make do