ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ɪlˈɛvən smˈɪθ wʌz dˌaɪəɡnˈoʊzd wɪð mˌaɪɪlˌɑːdɪsplˈæstɪk sˈɪndɹoʊmz, ɐ tˈaɪp ʌv kˈænsɚ ɪnwˌɪtʃ ðə bˈoʊn mˈæɹoʊ dʌznˌɑːt mˌeɪk ɪnˈʌf hˈɛlθi blˈʌd sˈɛlz.
In 2011 Smith was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes, a type of cancer in which the bone marrow does not make enough healthy blood cells.