Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse shared a stark and deeply personal social media post on Tuesday (December 23), announcing his diagnosis of “stage four metastasized pancreatic cancer.”
“Last week I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic pancreatic cancer, and I’m going to die. Advanced pancreatic cancer is a nasty thing, it’s a death sentence. But I was already sentenced to death before last week too – we all do it,” the 53-year-old wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter).
Despite this diagnosis, Sasse vowed to fight, declaring: “I will not go down without a fight. »
“A subpart of God’s grace is found in the breathtaking advances science has made in recent years in immunotherapy and much more. Death and dying are not the same thing – the process of dying is still something to experience. We zealously embrace a lot of gallows humor in our home, and I’m committed to doing my part to walk through the irreverent tape,” he added.
Sasse was a notable figure within the Republican Party for his constant and vocal criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump, particularly after the January 6 riots in the capital.
More importantly, he was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.
In January 2023, he resigned from the Senate to lead the University of Florida. After a while, he left his position to care for his wife, Melissa, after she was diagnosed with epilepsy.
The couple have three children.
Sasse concluded his message with a tone of resilience and dark humor, noting, “We zealously embrace a lot of black humor in our house, and I’m committed to doing my part to wade through the irreverent tape.” »
“Our family is facing the reality of treatment, but more importantly, as we celebrate Christmas, we wish you peace,” he added.
