ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It was a sea of purple in downtown Rochester Saturday morning.

More than 1,000 people participated in the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 

Sue Ras was one of them. She lost her husband Jim six years ago to Alzheimer’s. 

"Get a cure for this terrible disease,” Ras said. “I believe it’s one of the worst out there, they just lose all sense of themselves."

She and her friends named their team after Jim, calling themselves 'Team Smiling Jim.’

Jim Walter lost his wife in January after an eight-year battle with the disease.

Now as chairman of the Alzheimer's Association of Rochester, he’s working to help others in his shoes.

“We raise money to help caregivers. We have support groups for those struggling with Alzheimer’s or supporting caregivers,” Walter explained. "There are over 6 million people in the United States right now suffering from Alzheimer's. When you add the caregiver community, the family and friends you can see that this disease impacts well over 20 million people in the United States alone.”

Starting at Frontier Field, the walk snaked through Downtown Rochester.

It’s part of a nationwide event, the largest annual fundraiser held by the Alzheimer’s Association.

“I’ve got family here from Buffalo and Syracuse, so they get to see downtown Rochester and feel the excitement of this group,” Walter said. 

For team Smiling Jim, each step Saturday brought them closer to finding a cure. 

“We will find a cure,” Ras said. “It might not have helped my husband, but it will help others in the long run.”