ONE LAST CHANCE

I was greatly disturbed by Steven Heller’s photography of the courageous Diane Hinton and her family in “One Last Chance” (by Linda Marsa, Oct. 20). His photos made it look as if Diane were gazing at us from beyond the grave, and did not reflect her upbeat, I-am-a-fighter approach to life. I kept referring to the photos while reading, and I was jarred constantly by the dichotomy. Why portray her as a fuzzy apparition while she is in the throes of the most intense living she has ever done? It also upsets me that Ms. Hinton might be depressed by the dour portraits, which so brutally express a “thumbs down” vote on her chances for survival.

ERIN B. MILLS

Los Angeles