Marissa's Exopulse Mollii Suit Story

Marissa, 25, from Brighton, has lived her life with cerebral palsy (CP) that affects both her upper and lower body, causing spasticity. As a full-time power wheelchair user, she’s faced a variety of daily challenges, especially with the spasticity in her lower body, which has limited her mobility. But Marissa’s determination to overcome these challenges has led her on an inspiring journey toward greater independence.

As well as being a full-time student, she is also a student ambassador for the University of Brighton, where she helps with marketing, open days, summer schools and tours. She also volunteers with Possibility People, a charity supporting people with disabilities, particularly in navigating the benefits system and promoting social engagement.

In mid-2024 Marissa started visiting Vim Health, seeking solutions to help her walk ahead of her wedding in September, where she had set herself the goal of walking down the aisle to marry her partner, Cameron. It was at Vim Health where she learned about the Exopulse Mollii Suit, a wearable device designed to reduce spasticity and improve mobility. This near full-body neuromodulation suit activates the weak muscles by sending an electrical signal, which subsequently relaxes the affected muscle. This combined effect results in the user experiencing less spasticity and subsequently less pain.

The physiotherapy clinic offered her a two-week trial to assess how the suit might impact her condition. While she didn’t notice an improvement in her legs right away, she felt subtle improvements in her upper body. It was other people around her that noticed an improvement in her walking and commented that she looked like she was walking more comfortably. When she repeated her outcome measures at the end of her two-week trial they showed significant improvements with her spasticity reducing drastically, particularly in her hips. A few days after the outcome measures were recorded, Marissa was at her in-laws. “My in-laws were in the garden, which is accessed by some steps which my power chair can’t navigate down. I wanted to join them, so I thought I’d give it a try, I grabbed my stick and made my way down the steps. That was the first time I saw just how much of a difference using the suit had made to me, I had never been able to do that before,” said Marissa.

Before using the suit, Marissa spent most of her time in a power wheelchair. Even when she tried to walk, her legs were so bent and stiff that she couldn’t stand up straight, despite using leg orthoses. But with the Exopulse Mollii Suit, she was able to stand tall and walk with her torso aligned and her legs straight. This was a life-changing improvement, and it became especially meaningful as she practiced walking down the aisle. In that moment, standing upright and hugging her dad, “my dad joked that I was taller than he remembered!” amused Marissa.

On her wedding day, Marissa walked down the aisle, pain-free, to marry the love of her life, Cameron. It was a magical day, filled with joy and surrounded by their closest family and friends.

When she had to return the suit after her initial trial, she began to experience some regression. She felt herself returning to the hunched posture she’d struggled with before. It was a difficult mental challenge, but Marissa was overwhelmed with joy when she learned that her father-in-law had set up a GoFundMe to raise funds to buy her own suit. She received her own Exopulse Mollii Suit on Christmas eve, which in her words, "was the best Christmas present I’ve ever had." Since then, Marissa has continued to use the Exopulse Mollii Suit every other day for 60 minutes. Over time, she’s found it easier to put on, as her body has become less stiff.

Marissa’s journey hasn’t just been about physical progress; it’s been about proving to herself and others that there are no limits to what she can achieve. She graduated from the University of Brighton in February 2025 with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in International Tourism Management, with a focus on business and marketing. Before her graduation, she was told she would likely not even get any GCSEs, yet here she was, proving her strength and resilience with her determination and hard work, shattering those expectations.

Looking ahead, Marissa is currently learning to drive, furthering her journey toward more independence. She plans to pursue a career in the tourism industry, with a focus on catering to people with disabilities. With a bright future ahead, she’s eager to start earning her own money and setting challenging goals for herself.