# Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78

> **Newsylist Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-07-09 22:29 UTC · Category: Health · Sources: 28 · Current Velocity: 38.36

## Executive Summary
25 news sources are covering this Health story right now — Newsylist is tracking how fast it spreads.

## Intelligence Brief
"Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78" is generating significant coverage in the Health category, with 25 articles from 25 distinct sources tracked by Newsylist so far.


Outlets currently covering the story include Springfield News-Sun, Latest news from Azerbaijan, geneonline.com and STAT. Newsylist measures a story's velocity from how quickly new articles appear and how many independent newsrooms join the coverage.


Synthesized from multi-source international reporting and live coverage telemetry under Newsylist open intelligence methodology.

## Verified Facts & Key Claims
### Why is "Last American polio survivor in an iron lung dies at 78" trending?
Because 25 independent news sources published 25 articles about it in a short window — a coverage burst Newsylist classifies as a trend.

### How does Newsylist measure this trend?
Newsylist scores velocity from the rate of new articles weighted by source diversity, snapshotted hourly. The full method is public on our methodology page.

### Is this trend still active?
The status badge on this page updates hourly: rising, peaking, cooling, or archived once coverage stops for 48 hours.

## Key People, Organizations & Locations
American, USA, Oklahoma, Last American, Martha Lillard, Shawnee, Last U.S Polio Survivor, Iron Lung Dies After the Machine Began, Break Down and No One Could Repair It, Iron Lung Dies

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Published (UTC) | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield News-Sun | Obit Martha Lillard | 2026-07-12 18:37 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxPMGNjSWE0RS0xbDVlZXhhVmdUbXNkZWdPdnM5ZHJLejdXbTFWMjlSYWlCQ3BZcTQya2Mxa1AtR1AybEh1UE5oeWRLZGVSSXg3R3g2SHlCeUJsRC1JRTA0YkVSeFd6RGtNeld3eGxWZ1ZLUnk3ZVRlbHVlT3VvdnNhNDYtQXJoU2JaaE90UWpZamxnUFFEVmZlYUR4NGpVeUpCUTIwcw?oc=5) |
| Latest news from Azerbaijan | Last U.S. iron lung polio survivor Martha Lillard dies at 78 | 2026-07-12 18:37 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxOMnIxSE9hczRJWklScHFNY1o1TFF3Vlptc3JCTjhzbkZVS3F5ckZLbEdya1QzQWQ4cWd6al9sdEdWTmxmWFI3VVBLVnJTa01JOUp6bExqNHo5VmpHdTcyMm9qOG9vWXp5Q0VCQkxlQkpnZGgtWnJPcDlXMXQ0MkFDQ2JBZERPZw?oc=5) |
| geneonline.com | Martha Lillard, Last Known U.S. Iron Lung User, Dies at 78 | 2026-07-12 18:37 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiiwFBVV95cUxQc2F3WFdCYWRSX0s5NWY3SnRGdXlJNGpQUWdyRjJ3MWV3c0hnSU9acDlQR1ZpNjJBcU16UlY3QTNrYzdwTTE3WWloQW9nTndZbUVXWEpRUHgzd092VHU4ODBuVjlHQUpIeEZLakIxemZwUU52UjlxS0ZUN3ZMLTBCZVhfR0lnQ3VIZnRZ?oc=5) |
| STAT | Martha Lillard, last U.S. polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | 2026-07-12 18:37 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxPQnU0aUJtUGNzY1NEdFQ2U2VzcThUN01jQTRPQkg0UU1ZQVZ3X2Y1aWhiNThCMHVoVmRJdnBnU21ITG5zLTVfM0pRNk5JaTdIN1p2ME5uVDRId1R3RXUxeDFQdmNDTm5td0U2TFByOHJQUHJqVUIyNGJoRVhNcHc5YXRpOEhlM2RQcmJIQmVWYmV2UQ?oc=5) |
| The Independent | Last US polio patient using an iron lung to survive dies in Oklahoma | 2026-07-12 18:37 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihgFBVV95cUxNbDlibWFiR0E3ZjlvWHBoSHhJSno0OXBZOGJER29TQjRvcmF2QUt2UGZBWjFNam5kQVpCSmlsb2w0R0J6QmszSkk4SGhYYy1TdWlEbkxkX2dCYnBqc1hocUxXbkk1aFF4RWswQTV1SDZLczJwZkhFVGVaN3pBWlRwQnI4M19kZw?oc=5) |
| WMTW | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | 2026-07-12 15:48 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxNdGR1Tkx2cVkxOTNDYlNwdmVXR1U3R21Oa3d4MXJybHNPSUwzZXpWb090SzRuc2I2VFBlYnBDdjdxYkE3R1dSMng4eEtVbDlPR2ExOHpnTjMydjFOWmx0Q3F5SHViMDBFZEUwdTlSUUNqRnRzUVU0Tk8taVFTZGxraVFDLTNqS3FOVi1Gbnd6NTZpdUk?oc=5) |
| The Guardian | Martha Lillard, last known US polio survivor using iron lung, dies aged 78 | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxNWmF5eVQ4LUJLZ0Z5dTAxSHVUdk9KOVRvSmNlOGJfZ3J2R1Y4WGVZOVpHT0VXY3dhQjRCMGlkYmFsUi0wd1ZUU2lTV0VEMVVjU0Z6endDZlh6ZHd1SDhrRHlYTEVNRGpoblV6d3Q0UWhWdkZyNFhNa21xNzQ4dUR0TTA4bVV4eWsyNnluVE5kOWVLM1hQODI2QmxFLTBsa1k?oc=5) |
| KCRA | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxPd2prTW1SM0RJLUIzN2JldmF4M3o0VDRPYUhJaFZNN2hsb3kwMXY2dUMxMjJiYW5yLUtzOXp4RHlkVURVUl9XZXdQOExUczFYb1NPVkFrc01yR0J3MFVfWDgyaEpmUHhhVGNUdWFoN1QyWHRfRmZ1WUVaSWdGSEgtc0NQS2NOajVxOHc4Q1lISVB3a2c?oc=5) |
| The Times of India | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixwFBVV95cUxPZi1ja1Y2cHVBMVJYSVUzbHR0VnVkN0RpNHNCUjlxUHFfQ3JTUE9qdm1PQy1OUl9OVmVjb1lGTXZXUUpjbnFpT0RTb2pNdHBuZHdnSzMtMW1BNjlSamQzUmxVQ0NvSXlmTVpDdmtidjA5dzhsYWhDbHVBU3ZYM0l3WXV6QTZjZFJ0WnlWamZPTjUxd21YTEtWd015NjVPLVlkeTlpM1RwWER2cDdCb0UyZ1BTSWFoSnh4YzlCd2tweHZWcUJJUm1F?oc=5) |
| KFOR.com | Oklahoma woman, the last American in an iron lung, dies at 78 | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxQXzE2M3pZVGd3cFlWVVdGV3E1Z0M4SFhPYm1aRVBDMHYtRm5fWFZKY2gwUE5YbklXdjVoNm1ZQldaVVNDaUJzSWV3SzRady1YVnJtM3loYnJjcWM3OVAzRXVtNVZDYVVOaDk5NTd3UnllYUN3dEdjT3ZSSjBpMi02LTVrM1ZVaEpnbWNiem55X2g3Zw?oc=5) |
| Fox News | Last American to use an iron lung dies at 78 years old after childhood polio diagnosis | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQZjdDSnYtYXlVUzVRMUluQVg0TWJwR2N4QnEzcld6RTFjU0ZwMUx4RUdrZWhSbXdldHdXV2tWOEFuTVljUnRNMHdCVmhLUXpJQnhnUllqQVhJWnNWQVowZXdrclA3d0FXZlcyc2pIYVFvaHQ3d3EwSHp4MzlydlZBZ09valhYQUdORW1UZGFaYUlDVmwya0t0SDNaVkx5cXU2M0E3dtIBqgFBVV95cUxPNHFUNnZVZEFpcDQzc2tQZUtDN2RmaS1JZlhhNFhqNDhEMU1wU3lpV3pHWkJWUmVSbTNRT0JKdFRScFpRRDJIT0Q5RzE2ZlNtUGRhMkZoWVlRWTZwT1E3cVhUZkhEOFNCMnQ1U3pfOGZJSEw5elAxNFRHUUlWU29UclZhQWRPMDQxZDg2c2xseHZ4cXl4R1dtYk83VG9PREFSR2NoSWZQSGZ3QQ?oc=5) |
| ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikwFBVV95cUxQR0dJRjBNcF9VOWVack14dzRsRDdwRkoxSDludFF2REJfZjlFMUdsdXllb05FOURxbkFuRGJpUERPa01SZk51S1loV2E2M3UxRm5pQWJCYWRUMjFjNlRoWFgtMFRCLU5PQ2x4c1VTN3I2eWV6VHBVRFRERmxjMkFmNWtsaWJJZlBuaEhvc3FFcXZ1WUnSAZgBQVVfeXFMTU9yb1RUdWVxT3ZwSGpzWjQyaGVlYVV0ekdFenZwQVpJRFhUNmFSbDJlM21QNkk0YjBPQjM1ZlhaNnJtSmtFaG5DMzVjVEpkSFNVS2lKS3VxNDVZSGNsVmdQOFVNUEl0X2lzRGxRM2ZFeVltNUhTYVMycllvdk9WUDJVQ3VGYnRCN1FRMmVOQXlwdk5aVU5WMlA?oc=5) |
| NBC News | Last U.S. polio patient with an iron lung dies at 78 in Oklahoma | 2026-07-11 17:06 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFBVV95cUxQLVBoM3ZDYWt6VXRhSkNqT2VWUlhqaU40TEppRmRkeVpzLWZJeVJLNTBWNUR0MU5JZ0ZiNk1mX0Y3OEhRZEpFYXI2VktldTUxOVI5ZFJZUGhRblVCRGtlckZNZk5jeEk2NE5KejVaVDdNR00zeU5QNVdfeFZYNUd4ZGVwTTluZW9JRHRIcFJReFN2YTR2V29GMVJFdFRfWFJ1NmdKVQ?oc=5) |
| Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Martha Lillard, last U.S. polio patient using an iron lung, dies at 78 | 2026-07-11 16:00 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixgFBVV95cUxPRU5raE42Y3BQM0o0QVlQZDBwbWVfQjBuR09CWk5jZERvUUNWZVZDQ0piMXJRUDlUUHJkd0RtU3pUblp0VDlUcEFvOUJuN09jc2xBWnRVMHRUMnRHVzRvUk40bHNwN29VcjNqTGx6X0FYN3p3WkJoUUIxZ0xMcmpFMUVjTlFEeTNlMkhaaDg4TEhDSzN4R3RiTlpGWmI2OEtWbUVSY3lvb0pvRi1JbXRqTW5iREN4LWdSSzJGdkoxUEtlblBVamc?oc=5) |
| CNN | Martha Lillard, last US polio patient using iron lung, dies at 78 in Oklahoma | 2026-07-11 16:00 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMidkFVX3lxTE1veWNpNU1xN0xXd3F1R1BQaEs5WFNqWl9BYVd2UklBdUF3dEVtREdHcUFIdERpSW5xNHpraXo3UEVicDY3c0duUnZ0c0pieURDUFlvSFRaRUhJdjIyQ0FiTWZmdkhIZXRHYTBUc0hFcTVTdUxQVVE?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://www.newsylist.com/trend/2026-07-09/last-american-polio-survivor-in-an-iron-lung-dies-at-78*
*Synthesized by Newsylist Open Intelligence Engine under E-E-A-T journalistic standards.*