HHFMC Staff
Parmanand J. Dawani, MD (Founder- retired)
Dr. Dawani is the founder of Helping Hands Free Medical Clinic. He is orginally from Pakistan and is a graduate of Dow Medical College- Karachi where he earned his doctorate degree in 1961, specializing in emergency medicine. In 1972, Dr. Dawani came to the United States and completed his residency in internal medicine in 1975. He was employed with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina from 1975 - 78 before coming to Mullins, SC where he worked with Advanced Medical Associates from 1978 - 2002. Upon retiring, he put his vision of a free clinic for our community into action and founded Helping Hands Free Medical Clinic in 2002, serving as a volunteer physician.
Tanya Hodge, Executive Director
Ms. Tanya M. Hodge joined Helping Hands Free Medical Clinic August 2016 as the 3rd Executive Director. Previously, she spent numerous years serving in the non-profit sector. She has a passion for serving the underserved. Ms. Hodge has a compassionate heart for the disabled. She believes this is where she belongs, and this is exactly what she should be doing as her contribution to this line of work. As a young child, she watched her mother care for so many and following in her Mother’s footsteps, she has been a caregiver to many in need. Ms. Hodge is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has been residing in South Carolina for the past 19 years. Ms. Hodge holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Coker College and has expanded her education at Webster University with completing her studies by earning a Master’s in Management Leadership coupled with Human Resource Development. Ms. Hodge has (2) adult sons and (4) grandchildren. She loves travelling to spend time with her children and grandchildren that currently reside throughout various states.
Ms. Schinitra T. Swinney, AGNP-BC
Ms. Schinitra T. Swinney is a Marion native. She is a 1997 graduate of Marion High School. Following high school, she pursued and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Francis Marion University in 2001. In 2009, she earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from Horry-Georgetown Tech while working at Marion County Medical Center. After working for a few years, she returned to Francis Marion University and in 2012 earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The passion of caring for others and traveling combined and she continued her career as a Travel RN. This experience allowed her to work in Fayetteville, Morganton and Lumberton North Carolina; as well as Richmond, Virginia. Her last Registered Nursing position was at McLeod Regional Medical Center-Dillon. In 2015, she embarked on yet another professional goal and obtained her Master of Science in Nursing, obtaining her Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner-Cardiology degree from Duke University in 2017. After, traveling and talking with God a decision was made. Schinitra decided to remain at home (Marion) and make a difference in the lives of others.