Ben Sasse Reveals Stage-Four Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis, Says He’s ‘Gonna Die’

Former Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, saying bluntly that he has “less time than I’d prefer.”

Sasse, 53, shared the news in a lengthy and deeply personal social media post, describing the diagnosis as a death sentence and acknowledging the reality of his condition.

“Friends — this is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: 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 former senator, a husband and father of three, said the diagnosis has been especially difficult given his role as a parent and provider.

“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,” he wrote.

Sasse served eight years in the U.S. Senate representing Nebraska before resigning in 2022. Shortly after leaving Congress, he was appointed president of the University of Florida. He stepped down from that role in July 2024 after disclosing that his wife had suffered an aneurysm and a series of strokes.

During his tenure at the University of Florida, Sasse took a hardline stance against anti-Israel protests following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, stating the university would “draw a hard line at unlawful action.” In the Senate, he was known as a staunch pro-life advocate and a vocal critic of China’s influence. He was also a frequent critic of President Donald Trump after Trump entered national politics in 2016.

In his announcement, Sasse said he is leaning heavily on his Christian faith as he faces what lies ahead, noting the timing of his diagnosis during the Advent season.

“There’s not a good time to tell your peeps you’re now marching to the beat of a faster drummer — but the season of Advent isn’t the worst,” he wrote. “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 reflected on the difference between optimism and faith, writing that optimism alone is not enough when confronting mortality and family loss.

“Often we lazily say ‘hope’ when what we mean is ‘optimism,’” Sasse said. “Optimism is great, and it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s insufficient. It’s not the kind of thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you’re not going to walk them down the aisle, or when you tell your mom and pops they’re going to bury their son.”

Despite the prognosis, Sasse made clear he does not intend to give up.

“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 jaw-dropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more.”

He added that his family is approaching the road ahead with faith, humor, and resolve.

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