About eight out of every 10 Canadians are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease -an illness that 74,000 die from each year.

More than 300,000 Canadians are living with the effects of a stroke. There are more than 40,000 strokes in Canada each year-about 16,000 of these prove fatal.

Every year, about 21,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed. At least 18,000 die of the disease, making it the most deadly form of cancer and the country's number 2 killer.

Those statistics mean there's a good chance you know someone who has had lung cancer, cardiovascular disease or a stroke - or may one day be affected by one of them.

While the main organizations dedicated to fighting these illnesses, such as the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, offer a wealth of data on their efforts, the amount of information that's available can be overwhelming.

In this interactive feature, we'll provide you with a place to start - what lung cancer, heart disease and stroke are, what causes them, and what you can do to lower your risk of getting them.

We've also included the stories of survivors of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, who tell their tales in their own words-- and we'll let you know where you can turn for more help.