Re “Young mom loses lung cancer battle’’ (Metro, July 17): How chilling to read Ann McCarthy Linehan’s statement that “of all people,’’ lung cancer “shouldn’t have happened to’’ her daughter because “she treated her body as a temple for years, eating the right foods and exercising.’’ This suggests that maybe illness should happen to those whose personal health habits are less pristine. Wouldn’t it be kinder to recognize that lung cancer shouldn’t happen to anyone, including smokers?

Felicia Nimue Ackerman

Providence