Every journalism, public relations or advertising major dreams of being someone in the print media and doing something important.

For some reason, everyone assumes once fame is achieved, everything else takes a back seat and life instantly becomes heaven.

Liz Tilberis says, “Sorry. Wrong.” In “No Time to Die,” the editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar magazine recounts her rise to the top in the fashion magazine industry, beginning with a junior editor position at British Vogue.

In 1993, Tilberis was at the peak of her career. As editor-in-chief of Bazaar, she was host to some of the most lavish parties.

Her circle of friends included Princess Diana, Calvin Klein and Hillary Rodham Clinton, to name a few. To put the icing on the cake, her magazine had recently won two Ellie awards, which are considered the Oscars of the magazine industry.

But after years of being unable to have children and finally adopting two young boys, Tilberis was faced with another dilemma: she was diagnosed with Stage Three ovarian cancer.

Tilberis experienced the “normal” cycles of feelings. First she denied the cancer, then panicked, then she just had to deal with it.

At first she tried to keep her illness a secret, even from her devoted and supportive staff. But her secret was “outed” by industry magazine “Folio,” which ran the news on its front page.

Tilberis dealt with her disease in a somewhat unusual way. She dove into her work and shunned the traditional support groups.

“My husband is my support, and I am his,” Tilberis said.

Her family’s support seemed to work. After surgery and chemotherapy treatments, the cancer went into remission and Tilberis was in the clear. Relieved, she resumed her normal, hectic, everyday life.

Unfortunately, in the summer of 1995, the cancer returned at full force and this time Tilberis was forced to go through painful bone marrow treatments in an effort to once again send the disease packing.

Today, Tilberis is still editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar and is still battling ovarian cancer. But she refuses to give up, even though she knows the deadliness of the disease.

Although “No Time to Die” is a memoir of sorts, it is not a plea from Tilberis for sympathy.

Because of her problems with childbirth, Tilberis took a number of fertility drugs, which could possibly be a link to her ovarian cancer. She wrote this book in order to warn women of possible side effects most may not know about.

Tilberis knows people may not agree with her views, how she lives her life, or even how she deals with her cancer. But she doesn’t seem to care.

After meeting Tilberis in “No Time to Die,” it is impossible not to respect this woman for her strength and courage.

3 stars out of five

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Kelsey Foutch is a sophomore in journalism and mass communication from Waterloo.