Maxine Alder died in 2009 when she was hit by a car near her home in Florida. Several months later, UC Davis learned that she left more than $7.6 million to the vet school in the name of a cat they treated years earlier.

Alder was a wealthy and adventurous woman who split her time between California and Florida. She ran 30 marathons in her lifetime and climbed Half Dome on a regular basis.

She brought her cat DuBee, with whom she had a special bond, into the vet school about 10 years ago for treatment of his cancer. DuBee eventually died, but Alder was thankful for the center’s care.

She made a $1 million donation in 2004 and now left one of the biggest donations the school has ever received. If a cancer drug is discovered using the donated money, it will carry DuBee’s name.

Read more about the award, which will also feature recurring scholarships, on the Sacramento Bee.