Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, sharing the news publicly on social media. In his message, Sasse underscored gratitude for family and faith while acknowledging the gravity of his condition, blending seriousness with resolve as he confronts what lies ahead.
Sasse, 53, wrote on X: “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die” he said, calling the illness aggressive and incurable. Sasse added, “Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do… Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all. Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad.”
Sasse said the diagnosis has deepened his appreciation for time spent with his wife, Melissa, and their three children, praising how his family has grown closer over the past year. Announcing the news during the holiday season, he noted that Christmas was not “the worst” moment to do so: “As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.” Despite the prognosis, Sasse emphasized his determination to keep going. “I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight,” he wrote. “One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more. Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived.”
Sasse represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate from 2015 until early 2023. During his tenure, the conservative lawmaker was occasionally outspoken against leaders within his own party and was one of seven Republicans who voted to convict then-President Donald Trump during the second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump was ultimately acquitted. Before entering politics, Sasse built an academic career, earning degrees from Harvard University, Oxford University, St. John’s College, and a doctorate in history from Yale University.
He resigned from the Senate to become president of the University of Florida but stepped down from that role in mid-2024, citing serious health challenges faced by his wife, including epilepsy and memory issues linked to a past aneurysm and strokes.
Medical experts note that stage-four pancreatic cancer is the most advanced form of the disease, meaning it has spread to other organs. It is often detected late due to the lack of early symptoms and routine screening. According to national cancer data, pancreatic cancer typically affects older adults, with the average age of diagnosis around 70, making Sasse’s case at 53 relatively uncommon. Tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed each year, and the disease remains among the deadliest cancers.
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