Legacy of Care
For almost three decades, Camelback Women’s Health has been shaped by exceptional physicians whose dedication to women’s health helped build the practice we are today. We are proud to honor the physicians who have been an invaluable part of our history and forever part of our CWH family.
Celebrating the Career of Steven Nelson, M.D.
After more than four decades of caring for women and families in the Valley, Dr. Nelson retires from the practice of medicine in September 2026, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of compassionate care, dedication, and service.
A fifth-generation Arizonan, born and raised in Yuma, Dr. Nelson’s path to medicine took him from Brigham Young University to Oxford University in England, the University of Utah, the University of Louisville, and UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He later graduated from Stanford Law School and is a member of the Arizona Bar. He came to Phoenix in 1989 and built a distinguished career in obstetrics and gynecology and was a founding member of Camelback Women’s Health.
Yet his patients and colleagues are perhaps just as likely to remember Dr. Nelson for the qualities that cannot be listed on a résumé: his patience, calm demeanor, compassion, gentle sense of humor, and ability to make people feel cared for and heard.
Throughout his career, Dr. Nelson had the privilege of sharing in some of life’s most meaningful moments. He cared for thousands of women, delivered generations of babies, advocated for his patients, and brought a reassuring presence to both joyful occasions and difficult ones.
Medicine was also woven into the life of his family. Dr. Nelson and his wife, Jane, are the proud parents of four children, Aaron, Julie, Emily, and Anne as well as grandparents to a growing family. His children remember their father rushing from the hospital to swim meets, softball games and recitals—sometimes still dressed in scrubs and his operating cap. To them, his career demonstrated hard work, tender care, calm under pressure and the importance of advocating for others.
As they so beautifully expressed it: thousands of people had the privilege of calling him Dr. Nelson, but they had the privilege of calling him Dad.
When once asked why he wanted to practice medicine, Dr. Nelson answered:
“Sharing the joy of new life with my patients is the happiest part of medicine.”
For the countless patients, families, babies, colleagues and staff whose lives have intersected with his over the years, Dr. Nelson’s influence will remain long after his final day in the office.
With gratitude, we celebrate Dr. Nelson and wish him a joyful and well-deserved retirement.
In Loving Memory Of Gregory DeSanto, M.D.
08.10.1958 – 02.09.2025
It is with immense sadness that the family of Dr. Gregory L. DeSanto announces his untimely passing from a sudden heart attack on February 9, 2025, at the age of 66. Greg was a dedicated physician, devoted family man, and loyal friend. He was born in Minneapolis, MN, grew up in Rochester, MN, and was inspired by his father, Dr. Lawrence DeSanto, to spend his life caring for others through the practice of medicine. He completed his undergraduate studies at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, and earned his medical degree from the University of Minnesota. After a distinguished residency at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Greg pursued his passion for bringing new life into the world through the Obstetrics and Gynecology practice he co-founded and led with skill and profound compassion for 35 years, Camelback Women’s Health.
Greg truly loved his work and had no intention of slowing down, giving his all to his practice and each of his patients. It was his greatest privilege to guide patients through one of life’s most meaningful moments, childbirth, with his expertise, empathy, and genuine care. He was there for them no matter the time of day or what else he was doing without complaint. Greg also shared his medical expertise with his fellow healthcare professionals, mentoring and advising them in their own medical careers. His giving spirit motivated him to join a medical mission to provide critically needed care to women in the refugee camps of Jordan, a significant highlight of his career.
Beyond the steady demand of his practice, Greg was incredibly dedicated to spending time with his family and friends. He was an amazing father to his three children, whom he nurtured into strong, accomplished, and compassionate young adults. He was always there for them, attending every meaningful event, including graduations, theatre plays, little league games, and volleyball tournaments, and never missing a family dinner. They were the center of his universe and the greatest joy in his life.
Although there was so much more that Greg deserved to do and see, he lived a prolific and purposeful life. He was never content staying still and was always pursuing the next project and exciting plan for the future. He loved concerts, sporting events, and sharing special moments with his family with whom he went on many adventures – around the country and abroad. He set aside the pressures of his practice to enjoy many activities: playing hockey, golf, pickleball, hiking, and throwing the frisbee with his beloved dog, Finley. He spent many weekends relaxing and recharging at his cabin, where he and his family created over twenty years of cherished memories.
He was a genuine soul, reserved but deeply present. He never spoke just to be heard. When he chose to express himself, his words carried meaning, sincerity, and heart. Greg was a man with uncompromising principles and a strong sense of responsibility to his community. His indelible spirit will continue to inspire those who knew him, and his legacy of care and kindness will live on through his children, the countless lives he touched, and the families he helped grow. Greg leaves his children, Hannah and her fiancé Austin, Ryan, and Julienne, as well as his friend and the mother of their children, Kathy, his mother Marilyn DeSanto, his three sisters, Lisa, Sara, and Jill, brothers-in-law Tim and James, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father Dr. Lawrence DeSanto.
