Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma

daniel_iversen 61 points 17 comments July 12, 2026
abcnews.com · View on Hacker News

Discussion Highlights (6 comments)

testingonetwo34

Her optimism and creativity to overcome the disability and live her life is powerfully inspirational. I wish I could apply that optimism to my perception of a societal shift away from disability accomodations and the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy... Enabling parents to foster unvaccinated children is a guarantee that we'll get a resurgence of this type of disease. I recommend everyone educate themselves on our immune system: the book "Immune" (ISBN: 1529360684) introduces the vast complexity in a very approachable manner. Also the podcasts through MicrobeTV by Vincent Racaniello are excellent.

MajorTakeaway

Drinking a beer for her, she went to the high school very close by. I'm far too young to remember polio but still remember my grandparents talking about it. They had died of Covid-19 before her. Something to remember by her is that the determination to live is something that keeps us going.

pwarner

Perhaps we'll be great again soon. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-how-quickly...

tonyhart7

its crazy that humankind can effectively end disease

sbseitz

Don't worry, Republicans are bringing it back.

rekoros

And a good day to you, sir!

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