The life journey of the woman who lived in an 'iron lung' for 70 years has ended

Martha Lillard, the last patient in the US to use the legendary 'iron lung' machine, has died at the age of 78. After contracting polio, she lived for over 70 years with the help of this unique device. Despite the widespread availability of modern artificial ventilation technologies, Martha did not want to give up the machine that kept her alive until the end of her life.

It is reported that Martha Lillard contracted polio in 1953, when she was just five years old. At that time, the disease was widespread across the US, posing a serious threat to thousands of lives. The infection affected her respiratory system, making independent breathing almost impossible. Doctors then used a special device called an 'iron lung' to save her life.

This device consists of a hermetically sealed metal chamber, where negative pressure is created to force the lungs to function artificially. Although medicine later advanced rapidly and modern ventilators appeared, Martha Lillard said she felt safe with this specific device and did not want to replace it.

In a 2021 interview, she explained her decision as follows:

“I wish I didn't need this machine at all. But sometimes I thank it. Because it is this machine that saved my life. If it weren't for it, I wouldn't be alive today.”

As a child, Martha spent almost all her time inside the 'iron lung'. Because of this, she could only attend school for about an hour a day. Over time, her condition improved slightly, and for many years she used the device mainly only during sleep at night.

However, in the last years of her life, complications from COVID-19 worsened her health again. As a result, Martha was forced to spend almost the entire day inside the 'iron lung' machine again.

Using such a rare medical device also brought various difficulties. When the machine began to malfunction in the 1990s, Martha had to look for a compatible device. Once, due to a severe ice storm, the power supply was cut off, and even the backup generator failed. She had to call emergency services to save her life.

According to her loved ones, Martha Lillard passed away on June 26 after a long battle with complications from COVID-19.

She is remembered not only as a person who fought a serious illness but also as a volunteer who worked actively for society. Martha helped animal welfare organizations, worked at a children's center, and served as a hotline operator. In addition, she wrote poems, painted, and composed piano pieces that could be played with one hand.