Former Senator Ben Sasse Reveals Terminal Cancer Diagnosis in Emotional Holiday Letter

Former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse has shared heartbreaking news with his followers, revealing that he has been diagnosed with terminal stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The 53-year-old Republican politician opened up about his prognosis in an emotional letter posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, December 23.

“Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” Sasse wrote, bluntly addressing the gravity of his condition. “Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.”

Reflecting on his life and the time he has left, Sasse, who served as Nebraska’s junior U.S. senator from 2015 to 2023, acknowledged the difficult reality of his diagnosis, especially as a husband and father. He expressed gratitude for his close-knit family and friends, saying, “I’m blessed with amazing siblings and half-a-dozen buddies that are genuinely brothers.”

Sasse’s poignant message also offered a profound perspective on life and death, highlighting his faith and the meaning of hope during difficult times. “Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all,” he wrote. “But the season of advent isn’t the worst,” he added, referring to the weeks leading up to Christmas as a time of hope for the future, grounded not in optimism, but in faith.

Sasse’s diagnosis comes after a career filled with public service and controversy. As a senator, he made headlines in 2021 as one of seven Republicans who voted to convict President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial. After resigning from his Senate seat, Sasse became the president of the University of Florida, though he stepped down from that role last year to focus on his family, after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy.

In his letter, Sasse spoke about the painful reality of knowing that he won’t be able to fulfill some of the milestones he had hoped for, like walking his daughters down the aisle. Yet, despite the grim news, he expressed an unwavering determination to fight, bolstered by the hope offered by advances in immunotherapy and medical science.

“Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived,” he wrote. “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.”

Ending his message on a note of faith, Sasse shared a Bible verse from Isaiah 9:2, which says, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned….For to us a son is given.” He closed with gratitude, wishing peace to his followers and acknowledging the love and support from his family.

Pancreatic cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of less than 13%, is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, often going undetected until its later stages. It is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.