Her early career reflected a growing commitment to hands-on clinical work. After completing internship at Victoria Hospital and community service in the paediatric department at Khayelitsha District Hospital, she joined TBHIV Care, an NGO where she led a team delivering male medical circumcision services across the Cape Metro. This was followed by three years as a Medical Officer in General Surgery, during this time, she developed not only broad operative and clinical experience across a wide range of presentations, but also a particular love for laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery, for the better patient recovery outcomes it offers.

Dr Heynes completed her specialist surgical training at Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town, earning her Fellowship of the College of Surgeons of South Africa FCS(SA). Dr Heynes has been recognised for her contribution to surgical excellence at a national level, she was selected by the Western Cape Department of Health as one of a handful of surgeons celebrated for surgical excellence across its three tertiary facilities: Tygerberg, Groote Schuur, and Red Cross Children’s Hospitals.

A deepening passion for breast surgery led her to pursue a dedicated breast 
surgery fellowship at Groote Schuur Hospital, through which she was awarded an MSc (Breast). To further broaden her oncoplastic repertoire, she travelled to Belgium to learn advanced techniques directly from leading specialists in the field, and she has undertaken fellowship examinations with the European Union of Breast Surgery.

Dr Heynes is a member of the Breast Interest Group of South Africa (BIGOSA) and a Fellow of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. She regularly attends national and international conferences to ensure her practice remains at the forefront of advances in breast cancer care.

She is also a proud member of Project Flamingo, a programme dedicated to improving equitable access to timely breast cancer surgery for patients across South Africa.

Outside of surgery, Dr Heynes is a mother of two, a role she describes as excellent training in both crisis management and negotiation. She maintains an active 
lifestyle through skipping, and finds balance in crocheting, knitting, and is a keen chess player.

Dr Heynes combines advanced surgical skill with genuine compassion, offering every patient a thorough, personalised approach to their care. While her primary passion lies in breast surgery, she also offers a full range of general surgery services, bringing the same commitment to excellence to every patient she treats. She stays at the cutting edge of both breast and general surgery through continuous international training and research