DEDICATION This report is dedicated to Dr. Brown M. Dobyns, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Dobynsfirst volurteered to serve as thyroid surgeon and consultant to the Marshall Islands Medical Program in 1969. 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 patient¢ tempered the emotional and physical duress of undergoing thyroid surgery at a major U.S. medical center whfre the number of hospital employees alone far exceeded the population of their home island. His concern agd graciousness were amplified in the warmth and courtesy of the staff of Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospffal, particularly that of the Surgical Service. Dr. Dobyns recently retired from his position in the Department of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, where he is currently Emeritus Professor of Surgery. One of his undertakings sincefretirement has been the publication of a comprehensive review of approximately eighty thyroid surgeries pegformed on the Marshallese during his involvement with the Brookhaven medical program (Dobyns and Myrmer, 1991). Although our thyroid surgeries are now performed at the Clinical Center, the National Institute of Health, we know that Dr. Dobynswill continue to extend to us the benefits of his medical wisdom and, pleasure of his company. ofcasionally, the