After two successful years of such events in Sydney and Melbourne, this year will mark the first time Plebs, Pros and Personalities for Suicide Prevention Australia will make its way to Wollongong on Saturday, May 8.

Despite only having three weeks to pull together the event, organiser Mel Proctor has managed to convince Illawarra Dragons players including Dan Hunt to spend their weekend hitting the treadmill for a good cause.

The short time frame didn't daunt Ms Proctor who said she remained motivated by her devastating loss of several friends and family to suicide.

"I lost my grandfather over a year ago, it just got too much and I've lost five friends over the years from my home town Brisbane," she said.

"As I've started going around and getting local businesses involved, you realise everyone has been affected one way or another by suicide, everyone knows somebody."

Illawarra runners are encouraged to sign up for as long as they can last on the treadmill with friends and family sponsoring their run to raise cash for research and prevention.

Cardio-phobes and couch potatoes alike have no excuses with the minimum timeslot being a mere 15-minute jog.

Ms Proctor hopes the event will raise awareness as well as cash for what can be a taboo subject.

"It's important people know to reach out, really ask if that person is OK and be prepared to listen to them if they say 'no'," she said.

"Now that everyone is so busy it's important to take that time because people in a bad head space are usually self-conscious about being a burden."

According to Suicide Prevention Australia, suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged under 45 with men over represented in 75 per cent of suicide deaths.

Participants can join the fund-raiser online at ppp4spa.com.au with treadmills starting at 6pm on Friday at Jetts Gym Shellharbour and ending at 6pm Saturday.