Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse announced that he has been diagnosed with “metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer,” calling the condition a “death sentence.”
The Diagnosis
Sasse first learned of the diagnosis last week and immediately shared the news on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. In a lengthy post, he wrote:
> “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” Sasse wrote. “Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too – we all do.”
The senator went on to say that the reality of the disease is hard for someone wired to work and build, but even harder as a husband and a dad:
> “This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad,” Sasse added, praising his wife and three children.
Career Highlights
Sasse represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate from 2015 until early January 2023. He resigned to become president of the University of Florida. The university presidency ended last year after his wife’s struggles with epilepsy and memory issues prompted him to step down.
During his Senate tenure, Sasse positioned himself as a staunch conservative and self-described “constitutional warrior.” He was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict former President Donald Trump in Trump’s second impeachment trial on charges that he incited an insurrection. Only three Republicans-Maine’s Susan Collins, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, and Louisiana’s Bill Cassidy-remain in the Senate after the trial, and Trump was acquitted.
Personal Reflections
Sasse’s X post also contained a more reflective tone. He wrote:
> “I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight.”
He followed this with a longer paragraph about science and mortality:
> “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. We’re zealously embracing a lot of gallows humor in our house, and I’ve pledged to do my part to run through the irreverent tape.”
Public Reaction and Context
The announcement was reported by NBC News, with the article written by Bridget Bowman and published two hours ago, updated two hours ago. A photo accompanying the story shows Sasse questioning U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during her Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, March 22, 2022.
The article also notes that Sasse’s resignation from the Senate in January 2023 was to assume the presidency of the University of Florida, a move that was later reversed after his wife’s health challenges.
Key Takeaways
- Ben Sasse has been diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer and calls it a death sentence.
- He announced the diagnosis on X, expressing that the disease is “hard for someone wired to work and build” and harder for a husband and dad.
- Sasse served Nebraska in the Senate from 2015-2023, resigned to become president of the University of Florida, and later stepped down after his wife’s epilepsy and memory issues.
- Politically, he was a conservative “constitutional warrior” and voted to convict Trump in the second impeachment trial; Trump was acquitted.
- Sasse’s public statements include a commitment to fight, a reflection on scientific advances in immunotherapy, and a willingness to embrace gallows humor during the dying process.
The former senator’s announcement underscores the personal toll of a terminal illness, even for a public figure with a long record of political service. His candidness on X and the coverage by NBC News bring attention to the human side of a disease that affects many families across the country.
