This is the inspirational moment an opera star and cancer survivor stunned passengers at Glasgow Central Station by bursting into song to save lives.

Monica McGhee, who beat cancer aged 28, brought Scotland's busiest station to a standstill today with an impromptu performance.

The 30-minute surprise show was set up to launch Stand Up To Cancer, a joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

Scots soprano Monica from Mothewell hit the sky-high notes during a breathtaking rendition of songs, along with help from concert pianist Jose Javier Ucendo Malo of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Glasgow Times: Opera singer Monica McGheeOpera singer Monica McGhee

READ MORE: Showbiz presenter and scientist launch Stand Up To Cancer in Scotland

In Scotland, around four people every hour are diagnosed with cancer. 

Stand Up To Cancer unites scientists, celebrities and communities across the UK, raising money to take developments from the lab and transform them, quickly, into brand new tests and treatments.

Monica, who found international fame as part of the operatic group Amore and has just returned from a tour of Japan with the Royal Opera House knows exactly how vital life-saving research is.

She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in February 2017 after discovering a lump on her neck. Just seven days later, Monica who was working in London at the time had surgery at Lewisham Hospital to remove the tumour.

Monica, now 31, said: “When I got cancer I risked losing the one thing in my life I relied on more than anything else, my voice.

“My first thought was am I going to die but then it was am I going to lose my voice? 

“The tumour was growing close to the lower laryngeal nerve and I feared I’d never be able to sing again.

"The very first thing I wanted to know when I woke up from the operation was whether my vocal cords had been damaged in any way. When the surgeon gave me a thumbs up to say the operation had been a complete success I cried with relief.”

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Now Monica is sharing her remarkable story to boost awareness and inspire Scots to raise some cancer-crushing cash for Stand Up To Cancer. 

She added:“I am forever grateful I escaped cancer relatively unscathed compared to the hell some people have to go through.

“Resilience, a sense of humour, good people around me and the amazing skills of the NHS got me through. Although cancer threatened to derail everything there was a way back. Now I’m proud to reach out and help other people going through cancer. I’m proud to Stand Up To Cancer.”

Since it started in the UK in 2012, Stand Up To Cancer has raised over £62 million to fund 52 pioneering clinical trials and research projects.

Right now, scientists are developing new tactics to boost the immune system’s ability to take out cancer cells.

They’re creating cutting-edge technologies to detect cancer cells in the blood, which could transform the way cancer is diagnosed.

And they’re using MRI to turn radiotherapy into a more precise, personalised and powerful anti-cancer weapon.

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Lisa Adams, Cancer Research UK’s spokeswoman for Scotland said: “By supporting Stand Up To Cancer, people will be helping to fund game-changing research, to make a huge difference to cancer patients and their families.

“There’s been amazing progress in the past few decades and more people are surviving cancer than ever before.

"But one in two of us in the UK will develop the disease at some point in our lifetime. That’s why we need as many people as possible to get involved.

"There’s power in numbers and if we all work together we can defeat anything, even cancer."

People can get involved in Stand Up To Cancer’s fortnight of fundraising from October 11-25  by requesting a free fundraising pack.

They can choose to fundraise in their own way or pick from a host of fun-filled ideas, like the unpredictable dress up challenge, which will help to speed up life-saving research.

And for those who want to show their support for the campaign in style, a fun range of clothing and accessories is also available online.

This autumn will also see a dedicated season of Stand Up To Cancer programming on Channel 4. 

To get involved visit su2c.org.uk