develop an illness
contract an illness

Henderson's career was cut short when he contracted an illness and died in 1947.

At the age of eight, he contracted a serious illness that left him unable to walk for months.

He died after contracting an illness on a trip to Asia.

Rolla contracted an illness in 1836 and died the following year at the age of 38.

He contracted several illnesses while in a Beijing prison and is suffering serious heart problems, according to his family.

When Scott was two years old he contracted a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing.

In Italy, 30 veterans contracted serious illnesses, 12 of whom developed cancer.

You see, he was born to a family in which his mother contracted a serious illness during her pregnancy.

During his last trip he contracted an illness that led to his death.

The abbot contracted an illness during the siege and died a few months later.