SIERRA VISTA - "When a woman loses her hair through illness, she is also losing her whole image. She is losing her identity."

Wilma Mrosek-Moses believes these words often sum up the overwhelming feelings of women who go through this traumatic consequence of cancer treatment.

About 18 months ago the Dutch native, who now lives in Sierra Vista, formed The Butterfly Club. The organization has one simple goal - to provide high quality wigs for the women in Cochise County who really need them.

"In November 2005 I contacted a local oncology center and told them I had a couple of wigs I wanted to donate to women with cancer who were losing their hair," explained Mrosek-Moses. "But they told me they had no program in place to do this and they referred me to the American Red Cross.

"The Red Cross said they had some wigs, but again had no program to get them to women who needed them. I also contacted the American Cancer Society, which also had no active program in Cochise County." It seemed the only option for cancer patients was to travel to Tucson to buy a wig, or to wear hats and scarves, she said.

But to buy a quality wig - one which will make a woman feel confident enough to leave the house - can cost a lot of money. So Mrosek-Moses, who owns Visage European Day Spa, decided to fill that gap with the three wigs she owned and to let local women know they were available, for free.

"However, I had three blond wigs and the first woman who came to see me was Korean," Morsek-Moses recalls. "Then we had an African-American lady come in and I realized this wasn't going to work. So my husband donated his entire paycheck and we ran up to Tucson to buy more wigs.

"But I couldn't expect my husband to keep giving his paycheck, so I had to come up with another way of raising money.

"We set up a tips jar at the salon, but it just wasn't enough - a good wig costs about $100. With an average of four women needing my help every month I needed a way to raise $400 a month, on a regular basis."

Not wanting to rely on the generosity of local businesses or having to ask cancer patients for a donation, Mrosek-Moses hit upon a winning idea that has since seen The Butterfly Club float to the height of success.

"I thought about what people like and then decided that everyone likes food," she said. "So I started to plan a private dinner party."

"The dinner usually lasts for around four hours and there is this wonderful camaraderie," said Mrosek-Moses, who devises the menus with her mother.

"During each course we talk about why we are raising money. We also hold a raffle to help cover the cost of the food."

Barbara Pivarnic, a school librarian, has attended virtually every dinner. "They are just fabulous and you get to meet some wonderful and fun people," she said. "You have a good time for a good cause. In fact, I was in the salon one day when a lady came in with her daughter to get a wig. It was heartbreaking. I thought about the great time we all have at the dinners and this really brought me back down to earth."

Every month Mrosek-Moses is able to buy around four wigs and she has more than 50 in stock at her salon on Bartow Drive. Many have been bought in Los Angeles and Tucson, while others have been donated - only the highest quality wigs are accepted. There are also many different styles to suit all ages and ethnicity.

"People usually come in to the salon because they have been referred, or had heard about me from someone else," explained Mrosek-Moses, who is also a part-time art teacher.

"They make an appointment and when they come in they look at the wigs and choose the ones they like. It's a very hard decision to make, but women should choose something that is similar to their own hair so it's not too much of a shock.

"But then comes the hardest part in the whole process - when we shave their heads. It's the most traumatic part and it's when everyone cries. I have the clients face away from the mirror for this."

Once a wig is chosen, Mrosek-Moses will make adjustments and even cut the wig to a style the woman would prefer. And if someone does not like their wig after they have been wearing it a while, they simply bring it back and pick another.

Since she started The Butterfly Club, Mrosek-Moses has helped about 100 women, aged 21 to 91, including Mary King. The 34-year-old was diagnosed with cancer last year and was referred to The Butterfly Club by the Sierra Vista Oncology Center.

"Wilma is very sweet and very real," she said. "She really made me feel at ease and also made me feel like I wasn't an ugly duckling. She even trimmed my wig so it flattered my face.

"I was expecting to have to pay about $200 and was amazed when she told me it was free. All she asked was that I look after the wig and take it back when I had finished."

For more information about The Butterfly Club, or to book a gourmet dinner, call Wilma Mrosek-Moses at 459-5144.