Ben Sasse opens up about cancer battle, says death is 'a wicked thief'
#Ben Sasse #terminal cancer #clinical trial #MD Anderson #daraxonrasib #end-of-life #podcast
📌 Key Takeaways
- Ben Sasse publicly discussed his terminal multi-cancer diagnosis and outliving a short prognosis.
- An experimental drug has shrunk his tumors by 76% but causes severe side effects and is not a cure.
- He finds peace through his Christian faith while grieving the future moments he will miss with his family.
- Sasse has started a podcast called 'Not Dead Yet' to share his journey with cancer and end-of-life reflections.
📖 Full Retelling
Former Republican Senator Ben Sasse spoke candidly on Thursday, April 9, 2026, about his terminal cancer diagnosis during an interview for a New York Times podcast recorded in Austin, Texas. He revealed that while his tumors have shrunk dramatically due to an experimental treatment, he is simultaneously preparing for death, which he described as 'a wicked thief.' This public reflection comes as he has outlived an initial three-to-four-month life expectancy prognosis received in mid-December.
Mr. Sasse is currently enrolled in a clinical trial at Houston's MD Anderson Cancer Center, taking an oral drug called daraxonrasib developed by Revolution Medicines. The treatment, though causing severe side effects like skin bleeding he described as 'nuclear,' has reduced his tumor volume by 76% since late December and cut his pain levels significantly. However, he acknowledged the cancer—comprising five forms including pancreatic, where it originated, as well as lymphoma, vascular, lung, and liver cancer—has metastasized too widely for a cure, likening it to dandelion seeds that have already spread to neighboring yards.
Amidst his treatment, the former Nebraska senator, a father of three, has launched his own podcast titled 'Not Dead Yet' to document his experience. He expressed profound sorrow at the prospect of missing future milestones in his children's lives but cited his Christian faith as a source of peace, viewing death as a passage to a place without suffering. Sasse resigned from the U.S. Senate in 2023 to become president of the University of Florida, a role he left in July 2024, prior to this health crisis.
🏷️ Themes
Health, Politics, Personal Narrative
📚 Related People & Topics
Monroe Dunaway Anderson
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Monroe Dunaway Anderson (1873–1939) was a banker and cotton trader from Jackson, Tennessee. With William L. Clayton, Anderson built Anderson, Clayton and Company (formed in 1904 by his brother Frank E. Anderson and Frank's brother-in-law, William L. Clayton) into the world's biggest cotton company....
Ben Sasse
American academic administrator and politician (born 1972)
Benjamin Eric Sasse ( SASS; born February 22, 1972) is an American politician and academic administrator. He represented Nebraska in the United States Senate from 2015 to 2023, resigning to become the president of the University of Florida. He is a member of the Republican Party.
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