| A long and painful struggle with cancer
and chemotherapy had caused baldness for Barbara Basset, of Mocrstown, NJ. The
day her blond hair feel out in clumps was, for Barbara, the worst day of her
ordeal. Detemined to use some form of camouflage, she tried a wig but found it
itchy and hot. Scarves slopped off or clung too tightly, accentuating the
problem. Finally, a friend suggested Barbara call her neighbor, Marie Stevens,
an accomplished seamstress who worked at home. Barbara explained to Marie that she needed something between a scarf and a hat, with a shape that suggested hair beneath. It had to fasten securely, and had no opening that would reveal baldness. Sensing a kindred spirit, Marie agreed to work something up. She was no stranger to medical tragedy herself, having lost two of her seven children to cystic fibrosis. The design itself was simple, a combination scarf/hat of light cotton and polyester that fit well, disguising the lack of hair. "Smart" was the description Barbara's friends came up with. For Barbara elegance was secondary to the scarf's greatest asset. "That silly little hat saved me," she told friends. Shortly after, Marie and Barbara formed a partnership selling the scarves, which they called Hide & Chic. They developed a line of colors, plus small elasticized versions for children. They had a brochure printed, and set it to oncology units and social-service directors in hospitals. Soon after the company, Mare-bar, Inc. was on its feet, Barbara learned that her cancer had recurred . Despite more chemotherapy, she died, at age 40. "She made me promise that I'd keep things going," Made says, "When she died, I was pretty low. But I kept getting mail from cancer patients who described how our scarf/hat had made Such a big difference. I got going again. It's a nice legacy for Barbara, who was a very special lady." |