Liela is the daughter of Harriet Stanley and her first husband Ali Hafez.
As children Liela and John Lennon were very close and spent many holidays together. While working at a Butlins holiday camp as a chalet maid she received the news of Julia Lennon's death. At the funeral she proved to be a great comfort to John.

After studying medicine at Edinburgh University Liela qualified as a doctor. Initially she went to Germany to practice. In 1968 she returned to the UK to take up the post of consultant anaesthetist at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital in Camden, North London.

John and Liela wrote regularly to each other. After John's death Liela's children auctioned some of the letters, much to Yoko's disapproval.

Liela is married with three children.