On Tuesday, former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska stunned the political world by announcing he has been diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer.
Sasse, 53, shared the news on his social media accounts, describing the revelation as a personal challenge that he would confront head-on.
In his post, he said he had learned of the disease last week and that he was “now marching to the beat of a faster drummer.”
He added, “This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase,” setting a tone of candidness.
Sasse went on to state, “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.”
The senator’s announcement came after a career that began with his election to the Senate in 2014, when he first entered national politics.
He comfortably won reelection in 2020, defeating a pro-Trump primary challenger and securing a second term in the upper chamber.
During his tenure, Sasse emerged as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, questioning the former president’s character and policy choices.
He was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of incitement of insurrection following the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Facing backlash from party loyalists, Sasse continued to oppose Trump-aligned positions and refused to bend the knee to the former president’s influence.
In 2023, he resigned from the Senate to serve as the 13th president of the University of Florida, a role he accepted after a contentious approval process.
He left the university presidency the following year, after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy, choosing to focus on his family and health.
Sasse’s academic credentials include degrees from Harvard, St. John’s College, and Yale, underscoring a strong foundation in higher education.
Before his Senate career, he worked as an assistant secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush, gaining federal experience.
He also served as president of Midland University, a small Christian university in eastern Nebraska, before entering electoral politics.
Sasse and his wife have three children, a detail he highlighted while discussing the personal impact of his diagnosis.
In his message, Sasse declared, “I’m not going down without a fight,” emphasizing his determination to confront the disease.
He cited the rapid advances in immunotherapy over recent years as a source of hope, noting the scientific progress that could aid his battle.
Sasse also reflected on the nature of death, stating, “Death and dying aren’t the same – the process of dying is still something to be lived.”
The senator’s candid remarks underscore his willingness to speak openly about his condition, a stance that has drawn both support and criticism.
His announcement adds a human dimension to the broader discussion of cancer care, highlighting the personal struggles faced by public figures.
As Sasse moves forward, he remains committed to fighting his illness while sharing his experience with the public, hoping to inspire others facing similar challenges.
