Former Sen. Ben Sasse on laughing his way through terminal cancer

NPR | By Steve Inskeep

Published March 6, 2026 at 4:40 AM EST

Former Sen. Ben Sasse, a Republican from Nebraska, talks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about the state of politics and his life after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

Related Content

From guns to ballots: FARC's campaign for votes in Colombia

John Otis

Ten years after Colombia's peace deal, former FARC commander on the election campaign trail is discovering that winning ballots can be tougher than waging war.
A college student's perspective on using AI in class

Maximilian Milovidov, Phoebe Lett

Instead of banning AI, why don't schools teach students to use it critically? College freshman Maximilian Milovidov shares what he has learned in an "AI writing" course at Columbia University.
The U.S. unexpectedly loses 92,000 jobs, adding to worries about the economy

Scott Horsley

The job market showed further signs of weakness last month as employers cut 92,000 jobs. The unemployment rate inched up to 4.4%, from 4.3% in January.
Trump fires Kristi Noem. And, DOJ releases some missing Epstein files

Brittney Melton

President Trump has fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and named Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. And, the Justice Department released some missing Epstein files.
Taking the heat. Sauna's popular and there may be health benefits too

Will Stone

It's an age old practice that's having a moment right now. But is there anything to the health claims? Scientists say sauna is more than hot air.

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.