The annual CIBC Mud Run for Our Lives is back for another year. It's all to help raise $600,000 over the next three years to purchase four pieces of cancer-related equipment for Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Those pieces are:

- A breast ultrasound machine, which would cost about $400,000.

- Two automated endoscope reprocessors, costing around $100,000 each.

- A colposcope examination couch, costing about $5,000.

The run starts on Sept. 14 at the Yellowknife Ski Club. There will be both 3 km and 5 km trails for people to tackle.

Patty Olexin-Lang, executive director at the Stanton Territorial Hospital Foundation, said that between now and then, they're doing everything to prepare for the run.

"Everybody's super pumped, super excited. We have some new people on board and they really want to make this a huge success," she said.

Olexin-Lang explained that the Run For Our Lives committee has been hard at work for the last handful of months preparing for this year's event and that they're in the midst of bringing out dirt to put in certain sports along their trails, which will then be met with some water to muddy it up.

"We're hoping for a little more rain too, which will help," she said.

The mud run has been around since 2017, Olexin-Lang added. At that time, around 300 people signed up, a number that has since ballooned over the years.

More than 400 people came out in 2022, she said, but last year's run was cancelled due to the evacuation.

Now that it's back, Olexin-Lang is hoping to see those numbers jump back up.

"It doesn't matter if you're not the fittest person in the world, you can walk it," she said, adding that she's looking forward to seeing people come out again, regardless if they're there to fundraise or donate. "You just get a really warm and fuzzy feeling that people care so much about the cause. And cancer affects everybody in one way or another."

Registration for this year's run ends on Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. and there are prizes for the best dressed team as well as the highest fundraisers for both youth and adults. Volunteers are also needed for the next two Saturdays to help get the course set up at the ski club. If you can help out, you can get in touch with Olexin-Lang.