The cost of stroke is huge.

Every 10 minutes, a Canadian suffers a stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability, a major driver of health-care costs and huge cost to society. It leads to family stress, depression, lost income, decreased productivity and increased caregiving responsibilities. More than 50,000 Canadians have a stroke every year and another 300,000 are living with the consequences of stroke.

The Canadian Stroke Strategy is the most efficient and effective way to respond to this huge and growing public health issue. The Strategy is a national plan to reduce the burden of stroke on society, families and the health-care system. An economic analysis shows that the Strategy will save billions of dollars and prevent death and disability for thousands of people.

By 2010, the plan will lead to improvements in the quality of life of thousands of Canadians; achieve health savings; and reduce the burden of the disease on families and society.

Most strokes are preventable and treatable

Half of all strokes could be eliminated if people brought their blood pressure under control. Other controllable risk factors for stroke include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and stress. 'Repeat' strokes could be greatly reduced if patients received proper follow-up and treatment.

Through the coordinated efforts of people across Canada, awareness is being heightened about stroke risk factors and warning signs, best practices are being shared, improved training and professional education is underway and changes are being monitored.

What does this mean? The rate and incidence of stroke will decline dramatically, the best possible treatment will be delivered in all parts of the country, and post-stroke recovery and community reintegration will be enhanced in all parts of Canada within four years.

We can make the system better.

We know what to do and how to do it. Now, we need to address the gap between what we know and what is being applied.

We are taking action. Hundreds of people are working quietly on the ground, in small communities and big cities, to change the health-care system and to prevent stroke. What began as an idea and a partnership between the Canadian Stroke Network and the Heart and Stroke Foundation has become a movement that's gaining momentum from coast to coast. This movement is driven by health-care workers, bureaucrats, health charities, families and people recovering from stroke.

Canadians will lead the way in stroke care.

Increased awareness will ensure that future strokes are prevented and that every Canadian arrives at the hospital within a timeframe that they can be treated; national standards of care will ensure that every Canadian has assess to the best possible care; professional education will ensure that best practices are in place; a national surveillance system will track and evaluate how stroke is dealt with over time, targeted research will identify gaps in knowledge and lead to the development and testing of new therapies.