# Graeme Sutherland (internet personality)

Graeme Sutherland born in 1991, Glasgow, Scotland is a Scottish TikTok content creator and Alzheimer's awareness advocate. Known online as @graemefs, he has shared videos documenting his mother Linda's battle with Alzheimer's disease, diagnosed at early onset aged 59.

## Early and personal life

Sutherland was raised in Erskine, Scotland. He has a twin sister. Their mother, Linda, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in her late fifties, following years of misdiagnoses that attributed her symptoms to severe depression. This was largely due to the death of her husband Ronald Sutherland, who battled a sudden and short diagnosis of a brain tumour. The siblings became their mother's primary caregivers, balancing this responsibility alongside full-time employment.
He began modelling in 2022 for Colours Agency and has worked with various brands, most notably Celtic F.C and Scottish wedding magazine, Tie the kKot Scotland. Though his work modelling is mainly commercial, he is regularly photographed in wedding attire.
Sutherland left his full-time employment at the beginning of 2024 to focus on spending more time with his mother.

## TikTok Journey

Sutherland began posting videos on TikTok during the COVID-19 lockdowns as a way to raise awareness about Alzheimer's. His posts range from joyful moments, such as Linda singing and dancing, to challenging scenes depicting the effects of the disease, including memory loss and vision impairment. One viral video of Linda recognizing her late husband's name received over 2 million views. As of 2024, Graeme has amassed a following of nearly half a million across social platforms.

## Social media

Sutherland has used social media to amass around 600 thousand followers from around the world. Known for his TikTok, Sutherland uses Instagram and Facebook to connect with his audience. This has led to a huge amount of fundraising and helping others through similar situations.
Graeme has worked with The Smiley Company to present daily 'positive news' segments 2023-2024, which have been posted on Smiley's social media.

## Advocacy Work

In addition to his TikTok content, Graeme is a social media ambassador for Alzheimer Scotland. He has participated in campaigns like Scotland's Memory Walk and fundraising initiatives, including a charity skydive, the Kilt walk and walking the West Highland Way.
In 2023 Graeme took part in 'Thank yYu dDy' by being involved in recording Tony Christies' cover version of Thank You for Being a Friend, which was originally recorded by Andrew Gold in 1978. The single was released to raise awareness for Thank You Day in aid of Music for Dementia.

## Media Coverage

Graeme has been on several television programs and news segments, most notably ITVs This Morning and STV nNews,in which he shares why he began documenting the journey. Graeme has been featured in several news outlets, including The Glasgow Times and Blethered podcast, where he shared his family's journey and the challenges of navigating life with Alzheimer's. He emphasizss the importance of early diagnosis and reducing stigma surrounding the condition. Amongst the many media avenues Graeme has taken ,he has also been on numerous radio shows to discuss Alzheimer’'s-elated topics. In September 2024 Graeme teamed up with Bupa to highlight mental health in men, talking about how being a carer has taken a toll on his own health.
* This Morning Interview
* STV News coverage
* Glasgow Times coverage
* Smiley interview

## Recognition

In 2024, Graeme was nominated for the second time by The Scottish influencer Awards, in the category 'Inspiration'. Graeme won the award as Scotland's inspirational influencer of the year.