Former Gills goalkeeper Vince Bartram has made thousands of first-class saves.

But his greatest of all took place off the pitch – when he discovered a 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,” said Tracy, who together with Vince is backing Stand Up To Cancer – a joint fundraising drive by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

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The campaign, supported by celebrities including Davina McCall and Alan Carr, raises funds for research, which takes developments in the lab and transforms them into new tests and treatments.

Vince, who spent four seasons as David Seaman’s understudy at Arsenal before coming to Priestfield in 1998, said his wife’s story shows the real power of research.

The father-of-two, who made more 200 appearances for Gills and helped them win promotion, added: “I’m so grateful for the treatment that saved my wife’s life and I’m so proud to support Stand Up To Cancer because of her.

"We want to encourage as many people as possible to join with us and stand up to this devastating disease.”

Vince came across the mass in Tracy’s left breast on New Year’s Day in 2010. The former England netball player said: “We were doing what husbands and wives do, when he said to me ‘what’s that?’

“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 – but I don’t think I ever really believed at that stage that it would be cancer.”

After a scan and a biopsy Tracy was told she had aggressive breast cancer and would need chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Tracy, mum to Miles, 13, and Heath, 10, said: “I was just taking it in as best I could. When they said they felt it was treatable it was such a relief.”

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

Vince says his wife’s determination should be an inspiration to others. He said: “There were tough times, but predominantly it was all positive and I am sure being that way helped her to stand up to this horrible illness.”

Tracy added: “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.”

See www.standuptocancer.org.uk