A Canadian lottery winner plans to spend every dollar of his $40 million jackpot to charity to save victims of cancer, a move dedicated to his wife who died from the disease.

“I’ve been fortunate enough, through my career, 44 years with a company. I’ve done enough that I can look after myself, for my kids, so they can get looked after into the future. I don’t really need that money,” Tom Crist said in an interview with CBC News on Monday.

Crist received a surprise call from Western Canada Lottery in May that he had won in one of the games played by subscription. He meant to remain anonymous in giving the prize money to charity, and even his children found out seven months later. He eventually went public on Monday, announcing his prize and his plans for the $40 million.

The lottery is to go to the family trust fund and will be distributed to various charities of his and his children’s choice, including Calgary’s Tom Baker Cancer Center where his wife was treated. The wife of the 64-year-old retiree died in February 2012 at age 57 after a six-year battle with cancer.

Crist stepped down in September from the president and CEO posts of EECOL Electric, an electrical wholesale company, according to a foreign media outlet.

By Yoon Ha-youn and news reports