title: Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors, International.
abstract: Prior to1989 no known support group existed for victims of lightning or electrical shock injury and their families. A lightning strike survivor of twenty years, Steve Marshburn, recognized the need both from his personal experience and after meeting two other survivors. With his wife and psychologist, he formed Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International. The organization has grown nearly one hundredfold from the thirteen who attended the first annual meeting. The support group serves people from around the world, has produced a number of publications, participated in research about these injuries and has become active in prevention activities. This paper will describe some of the factors that have led to such success for the organization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60612-7354, USA. macooper@uic.edu
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marshburn
mesh_terms: D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015168:Lightning Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012944:Social Support; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*