Compassionate Pediatric Care

Dr. Kara Huncik

Medical Director

Dr. Huncik attended medical school at the University of Tennessee and performed her residency at the Medical University of SouthCarolina Children’s Hospital. She is board certified in pediatrics and will serve patients throughout all 46 counties in South Carolina.

Dr. Huncik brings to Hands of Hope a history of serving the most vulnerable children, treating those with special health care needs andchronic complex medical conditions. In 2005, she was handpicked while still in training to serve as the Medical Director of MUSC’s Medically Fragile Children’s Program, an innovative practice model to provide comprehensive medical care for chronically ill children.

In 2009, she joined Coastal Pediatric Associates as a staff pediatrician, becoming partner in 2015. “Leaving my practice was a difficult decision and I will deeply miss my patients, but I look forward to this new chapter,” said Dr. Huncik. “I have always been passionate about palliative and hospice care and know that together, alongside the dedicated pediatric team, we will make a difference."

Amber Couch

RN, ADN

Amber is a pediatric registered nurse for Hands of Hope. She is passionate about making a difference in her patients’ lives and wants them to know she is always there to support, care, and nurture them.

After working in pediatric primary care for 11 years, Amber joined the Agape Care team in January 2021. She completed her LPN at Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter before earning her ADN through Excelsior College in Albany, New York.

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but raised in the Lexington area, Amber has a son, two dogs, and is married to her high school sweetheart.

Kimberly Covington

Clinical Liaison, RN, CPN

Kimberly is a clinical liaison for Hands of Hope. In her role, she serves as an advocate for patients, introduces services for referred patients and families, and collaborates with inpatient teams to ensure all needs are met.

For her, every experience in hospice is life-changing, and she believes it is a gift to be able to serve families during such an intimate time in their journey. After completing nursing school at Florence Darlington Technical College, she worked for MUSC Children’s Hospital for four years and as the senior director of clinical operations for a pediatric practice for 10 years. Kimberly has her pediatric nurse certification and describes herself as a true pediatric nurse at heart.

Outside of work, Kimberly loves spending time outdoors with her husband, Tac, her two boys, and her dog.

Angelia Y. Edwards, CHIM

Team Coordinator

Angelia is a team coordinator for Hands of Hope. She has worked in the home health and hospice field for more than 20 years as a liaison, community educator, and health information manager. A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Angelia is a certified medical assistant and has an associate degree in Office Systems Technology and Health Information Management.

She is a South Carolina Notary Public and an ordained minister. Angelia loves to make people laugh, and her comedic personality is her greatest asset. She loves spending time with her husband, Tyrone, three adult children, and her extended family.

Denise Marsh

Director of Operations

Denise is the pediatric director of operations for Hands of Hope and is honored to be a part of the team. In her role, she manages and directs the Hands of Hope staff team to ensure safe, effective, and appropriate services; she also supervises and provides clinical direction to the pediatric interdisciplinary team and office staff to ensure the quality and continuity of provided services.

Denise earned her associates in nursing from Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and her bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Cincinnati; she has also earned her master’s in business administration with a focus in healthcare management at Columbia Southern University

She is passionate about working in pediatric hospice because she cares deeply about what Hands of Hope stands for and how the team walks alongside patients and their families to support the care goals the family has established for their loved ones. Denise is a South Carolina native. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has four energetic kids. Along with exercising and devotional reading, she enjoys spending time with her family, especially when it’s outdoors.

Mckenna Young

Certified Child Life Specialist

Mckenna Young is a certified child life specialist for Hands of Hope and has a passion for serving others. She joined Agape Care in 2018 and chose to work in hospice to help bring joy to children and their families as they go through the most challenging part of life. In her role, she helps promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities related to death and dying. She also works with a multidisciplinary team to implement a plan of care, ongoing communication, and education to meet each family’s individual needs.

Mckenna grew up in Rural Hall, North Carolina, and received her B.S. in Child Life from East Carolina University. She has two dogs, Harper and Jasper, and she loves to be outdoors, whether she’s hiking or spending time by a lake.