Dozens wore purple and walked in Stony Brook Saturday to raise awareness for sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that can affect nearly all organs of the body. Organizers say that it is often misdiagnosed due to patients rarely having the same symptoms.

"There is no cause and there is no cure for it," said Frank Rivera, of Sarcoidosis of Long Island. "That's one of the reasons why we are trying to raise awareness."

Rivera himself has sarcoidosis. He says that it was originally misdiagnosed as cancer in 2004, causing him to go through four years of chemo and radiation therapy. The struggle is what inspired the Coram resident to create Sarcoidosis of Long Island.

The walk helped raise money to help two girls, aged 11 and 15, battling sarcoidosis.

The Town of Brookhaven recently voted to make April Sarcoidosis Awareness Month.