HE’S the former Premier-league goalkeeper whose hands have netted thousands of first class saves.

Vince Bartram faced many a weekly battle during his 19-season career as a professional footballer at Bournemouth, Wolves, Arsenal and Gillingham before his playing days were ended by a serious wrist injury.

But few will know that his greatest ever save in fact took place off the pitch - when he discovered the lump in his wife’s breast that turned out to be an aggressive form of cancer.

"He kept his greatest save for me – he literally saved my life" says Tracy, who together with Vince is backing Stand Up To Cancer – a joint fundraising campaign by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 to raise vital funds for research and help save more lives more quickly.

It was New Year’s Day in 2010 as the couple were enjoying ‘a kiss and a cuddle’ when Vince came across the mass in Tracy’s left breast.

The former England netballer, who lives in Bournemouth with Vince and their two sons Miles, 13 and Heath 10, said: "I hadn’t noticed it and wasn’t exactly checking myself well at that point if I am honest. I made an appointment with my doctor a few days later."

Tracy, 47, was then referred to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital for tests and was diagnosed weeks later.

Tracy was told she had Grade III triple negative breast cancer and would need chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy.

Tracy said: "I think I had a very positive mind – staying focused made it much easier to deal with."

She never stopped working in her role as communications manager for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance throughout her treatment apart from the three occasions when she was admitted to hospital having succumbed to an infection.

"The chemotherapy was really tiring, it was up and down for me, but I knew I had to feel poorly in order to feel better" she said.

Tracy lost her hair after her second dose of chemotherapy which was one of the toughest moments of her illness.

In the summer of 2010 Tracy completed her chemotherapy and she underwent surgery to remove the lump and lymph nodes.

Six weeks of radiotherapy followed in Poole which Tracy described as “like a walk in the park”.

She remained under the watchful eye of consultants for five years following her diagnosis until October last year when she was officially released from treatment.

Tracy is now focused on helping other women diagnosed with breast cancer.

She said: "It was a very difficult time in my life and for my family and I have my husband to thank for saving my life.

"Now I feel it is my job to help others going through the same and making sure people know you can come out the other side."