Ben Sasse announces terminal cancer diagnosis
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Ben Sasse announced today in an X post that he has been diagnosed with metastasized, Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and does not expect to live long.
In the post, he said he learned about the diagnosis last week, and he added that although the prognosis is grim, “I’m not going down without a fight. One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more.”
Most of the post was devoted to his family and his faith. He said that since he stepped back from public life in 2024 to care for his wife, they have grown “even closer” as best friends, and he praised the achievements of his three children: “I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly get to bear-hug this motley crew of sinners and saints.”
Sasse contrasted the hope of Christianity with optimism: “Not an abstract hope in fanciful human goodness; not hope in vague hallmark-sappy spirituality; not a bootstrapped hope in our own strength (what foolishness is the evaporating-muscle I once prided myself in). Nope — often we lazily say ‘hope’ when what we mean is ‘optimism.’ To be clear, optimism is great, and it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s insufficient. It’s not the kinda thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you’re not going to walk them down the aisle. Nor telling your mom and pops they’re gonna bury their son.”
Describing Advent as “a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come,” Sasse said his hope is in “a real Deliverer – a rescuing God, born at a real time, in a real place.”
Sasse was named as the sole finalist for UF president in October 2022 and unanimously approved by the UF Board of Trustees in November 2022. In July 2024, he announced his resignation to care for his wife but stayed on as a professor: “My wife Melissa’s recent epilepsy diagnosis and a new batch of memory issues have been hard, but we’re facing it together. Our two wonderful daughters are in college, but our youngest is just turning 13. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. I need to step back and rebuild more stable household systems for a time. I’m going to remain involved in serving our UF students — past, present, and future — but I need to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week.”
UF’s Board of Trustees negotiated a termination agreement that has reportedly paid Sasse $1 million a year since he stepped down.
Very sad, but uplifting message even for a non-believer – me – who thinks the power of shared love with other humans is enough to keep many of us going. I was very critical of Sasse when here, though I was at first hopeful, believing his character might be stronger than politics, but that judgement stuff melts away now – another human of obvious good will about to lose all we know with certainty and facing it strongly.
His complete message is worth reading.
Very well said Jazzman, I know we don’t often agree, but much respect for your response.
Tragic. God’s speed to you and your family.
It’s very sad and tragic from the outside. But I gather he’s accepted whatever fate and miracles are yet to be revealed ahead. A good attitude.
God’s will, attitude, and grace are every man’s keeper. Attitude is the only one we have control over and you have checked that box sir.
May God continue to bring comfort and grace to Ben Sasse and his family in this difficult time. He will soon see his Savior face to face.
When it comes right down to it, being ready for Eternity is the main thing to get right in this life.
Praying for his family.