DEDICATION This report is dedicated to Dr. Brown M. Dobyns, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Dobynsfirst volunteered to serve as thyroid surgeon and consultant to the Marshall Islands Medical Program in 1969. He subsequently participated in ten medical missions to the Marshall Islands. Dr. Dobyns’ compassion, skill, respect for Marshallese customs, and personal involvement with the welfare of our Marshallese patients tempered the emotional and physical duress of undergoing thyroid surgery at a major U.S. medical center where the number of hospital employees alone far exceeded the population of their home island. His concern and graciousness were amplified in the warmth and courtesy ofthe staff of Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, particularly that of the Surgical Service. Dr. Dobyns recently retired from his position in the Department of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, where heis currently Emeritus Professor of Surgery. Oneof his undertakings since retirement has been the publication of a comprehensive review of approximately eighty thyroid surgeries performed on the Marshallese during his involvement with the Brookhaven medical program (Dobyns and Hyrmer, 1991). Although our thyroid surgeries are now performedat the Clinical Center, the National Institutes of Health, we know that Dr. Dobynswill continue to extend to us the benefits of his medical wisdom and, occasionally, the pleasure of his company.