Patriot Brief
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Diagnosis revealed: Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse announced he has metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer.
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Personal reflection: Sasse described the diagnosis as a “death sentence” in a social media post and reflected on faith and family.
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Career background: Sasse served as a Republican senator from Nebraska and later became president of the University of Florida.
In a deeply personal holiday announcement, former Republican Sen. Ben Sasse revealed that he has been diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer and described the prognosis bluntly as a “death sentence.” The 53-year-old former Nebraska senator shared the news in a message on social media, saying he learned of the metastasized disease last week and candidly acknowledged the gravity of his situation. Sasse spoke about facing limited time ahead, the challenge of the diagnosis as a husband and father, and the harsh reality of this aggressive form of cancer.
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.
Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence.…
— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) December 23, 2025
The Guardian reports:
Former Nebraska U.S. Senator Ben Sasse has announced he has advanced pancreatic cancer.
Sasse, 53, made the announcement on social media, saying he learned of the disease last week and is “now marching to the beat of a faster drummer.”
“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.
According to reporting, pancreatic cancer affects tens of thousands of Americans each year and has a very high fatality rate, with metastatic cases particularly severe.
Sasse served in the U.S. Senate from 2015 to 2023, representing Nebraska as a Republican and later became president of the University of Florida before leaving that post to care for family matters.
As Sasse faces this profoundly difficult chapter, his announcement has resonated across the country, drawing sympathy from both sides of the aisle. Even amid political division, the reality of terminal illness reminds us that life’s greatest battles are shared by all — and that faith, family, and courage matter most in the hardest fights we fight.
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