Former Sen. Ben Sasse Announces Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis

Former Senator announced on that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer. In a lengthy post on the social media platform X, Sasse shared that he received the diagnosis last week and is preparing for treatment.

A 'Death Sentence' and a Call to Live

“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence,” Sasse wrote with candor. He immediately followed with a broader perspective, adding, “But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.” He affirmed his intention to undergo treatment, stating he is “not going down without a fight.”

Sasse, who served two terms in the Senate, retired from politics in to become the president of the University of Florida. He later stepped down from that role to spend more time with his wife, Melissa, after her epilepsy diagnosis. He has since continued to teach at the university's Hamilton Center.

Faith and Hope in the Advent Season

Reflecting on the timing of the announcement, Sasse noted that while there's never a good time for such news, the Christmas season offered a unique context. “As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come,” he said. He distinguished between the end of life and the journey toward it, writing, “Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived.”